News

A roundtable discussion was held on May 10, 2006 at the Public Environmental Information Center (Aarhus Center) by the CRD/TI Armenia; the Armenian Center for the Protection of Human Rights after A.D.Sakharov; and the Armenian Botanical Society non-governmental organizations.

Transparency International opens nominations for outstanding individuals and organisations fighting corruption

Transparency International (TI), the global anti-corruption organisation with national chapters in over 90 countries, today opened the call for nominations for its annual Integrity Awards. The deadline for nominations is 2 June 2006.

Berlin / Brussels 3 May 2006 --- European Union citizens deserve to know where their taxes are going. Full implementation of financial transparency recommendations issued today under the European Transparency Initiative (ETI) will help citizens keep an eye on where and how their money is spent. The ETI, headed by EU Commission Vice President Siim Kallas, seeks to improve public transparency of the EU.

On April 5, 2006, the CRD/TI Armenia received an alert about the illegal felling of trees on the territory in the belonging of the Byurakan Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia.

A press conference was held on April 28, 2006 at the Public Environmental Information Center (Aarhus Center), with the CRD/TI Armenia (represented by Ms. Sona Aivazyan, Executive Director); the Armenian Center of Human Rights Protection after A.D. Sakharov (represented by Ms. Mary Khachatryan, Attorney at Law); and the Armenian Botanic Society (represented by Ms. Gohar Oganezova, Executive Director) non-government organizations.

Berlin, 21 April 2006 - Huguette Labelle, Chair of Transparency International, has enthusiastically accepted an invitation from United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan to join the Board of the UN Global Compact, a voluntary corporate citizenship initiative with over 3000 corporate and stakeholder members.

The Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee in its conclusion regarding the construction of Dalma Orchards recognized the non-compliance of Armenia with the provisions of Article 4 paragraphs 1 and 2, Article 6 paragraph 1 (a) and Annex I paragraph 20, Article 6 paragraphs 2-5 and 7-9, Article 7 and Article 9 paragraphs 2-4 of the Convention. The Compliance Committee also proposed certain recommendations to the Government of RA to ensure implementation of the Aarhus Convention.

Amalia Kostanyan, the Chairwoman of the CRD/TI Armenia NGO, attended the reception held in the US Embassy in Armenia on April 11, 2006. The reception was arranged to introduce the mission headed by a US Congressman Jim Colby, which also includes Congressman Scott Garret, Chief Executive Director of Millennium Challenges Program, Ambassador John Danielovich and other officials.

Among the highlights are successful workshop on debarment (blacklisting), the latest update on the Transparency Initiative (the Green Paper is expected to come out May 3), opinions on Bulgaria's and Romania's accession in 2007, etc.

Broaden scope and strengthen enforcement, says TI in letter to EU Vice President Kallas

Brussels / Berlin, 6 April 2006 --- A stronger, more transparent and harmonised European Commission debarment system (also known as blacklisting) will ensure that corrupt companies and greedy public officials do not sap EU resources, says Transparency International (TI).