Civilnet
By Zhanna Avagyan
Transparency International Armenia assessed the country's anti-corruption efforts on International Anti-Corruption Day, pointing to stagnating reform progress and raising concerns about selective prosecution.
Despite Armenia's ambitious 2023-2026 Anti-Corruption Strategy, the organization notes that results remain disappointing. The country scored 47 points on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index in 2023, showing minimal improvement from the previous year and marking a significant slowdown compared to the progress achieved in 2018-2019.
The watchdog highlights several critical concerns. Most notably, there appears to be selective enforcement in corruption cases, with officials from the ruling Civil Contract party facing limited scrutiny despite journalistic investigations revealing problematic practices. These include conflicts of interest, questionable party financing, potential procurement collusion, and unjustified state budget expenditures.
Of particular concern are unresolved allegations regarding monetary incentives offered during Yerevan's elections for participation in the ruling party's campaign. The statement also raises red flags about proposed amendments to party financing laws, warning they could strengthen one-party dominance and revive oligarchic influences reminiscent of the pre-2018 period.
The organization expresses worry about the situation in local government, particularly in Gyumri and Vanadzor, where state interventions into the election process have been described as unclear and contradictory. Questions also persist regarding the circumstances surrounding recent resignations of high-ranking officials, including the President of the Supreme Judicial Council.
On a positive note, the statement acknowledges several encouraging developments. Law enforcement agencies actively pursue criminal cases against former high-ranking officials. The recovery of illicitly obtained assets has increased in both frequency and scale. Additionally, public perception data from the International Republican Institute suggests corruption has become less pressing in citizens' minds, with only 3% of respondents ranking it among their top two concerns.
The statement concludes by calling on the ruling Civil Contract party to demonstrate stronger political will in addressing these challenges. It emphasizes that consolidating a one-party system and weak checks and balances pose significant risks to democracy and the rule of law.
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