Varuzhan Hoktanyan: Current economic model in Armenia gives rise to corruption

ArmInfo. Armenia's current economic model gives rise to corruption and creates favorable conditions for its outspread, Executive Director of "Transparency International Anticorruption Center" NGO Varuzhan Hoktanyan stated at the press conference organized by the Club of Economic Journalists and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung company today.

The expert noted that Armenia held 95th place among 167 countries by the level of corruptness at year- end 2015 while it has the best indicators among EEU countries. But Hoktanyan does not consider this dynamics as positive as the post soviet space holds the leading position on this index.

According to the expert Singapore has successful model of regulating and preventing corruption. The expert called it "Singapore phenomenon" and explained that this model envisages measures for fighting against corruption and monopoly by economic reforms, arrest and death penalty of those citizens who were involved in corruption processes.

"We should conduct serious economic reforms in order to put an end to monopolies and merger of political business elites and another important element in this fight is independent juridical system", Hoktanyan stated answering to ArmInfo's correspondent's question. At the same time the expert noted that these measures are a demonstration of strong political will, which unfortunately Armenia lacks. In a talk with ArmInfo's correspondent Hoktanyan also noted that according to recent surveys (2013) of the Global Corruption Barometer international organization, which conducts monitoring once in three years for revealing the corruptive fields, among 12 fields the following ones were considered highly-corrupted in Armenia: juridical system, state services and healthcare. At the same time the expert noted that the results of the next monitoring will be published in June 2016.

The expert gave negative assessment to the situation with corruption in the country and noted that there have been no positive changes or achievements in fighting against monopolies and corruption since 2003, which is caused by lack of political will in Armenia. Taking this into account the expert had refused to become a member of the Anti-Corruption Council.

To note, in Sept 16, 2015 interview with the RFE/RL Armenian Service (Azatutyun), US Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills said that corruption sets back economic growth, hurts human rights development, and undermines democracy. He thinks corruption "even undermines the national security" because outside forces can control the development of the country. The question is whether the government has tools and a political will, but there is a civil society that can help the government to fight it, he said. "If we cannot address this large issue of corruption, which I understand is a serious issue - I know it affects so much of Armenia's daily life - it will affect a large part of our relationship in specific areas, for instance, investment," he said.