Yesterday, the Transparency International Anti-Corruption Organization published the Corruption Perceptions Index 2017. According to it, Armenia has improved its index with 2 points, making it 35 out of 33 last year, thanks to which it stands 107th among 180 countries instead of the 113th place of the previous year.
“This even though a minor progress is crucial for our country’s anti-corruption fighters and my supporters, thanks to which efforts the anti-corruption institutional reforms were launched in the country two years ago, began to give their first results, and the citizens of Armenia will feel the main results in the upcoming years upon the improve quality of their life,” Mr. Karen Zadoyan, the President of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association, Coordinator of the Secretariat of CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia said.
He also added that, unfortunately, the introduction of anti-corruption centers by specialized CSOs aimed at the reducing corruption that exists in public sector, which was provided in the roadmap for anti-corruption reforms that he had recommended, has not been implemented yet, despite the fact that the issue has been discussed at the Anti-Corruption Council and there is also the Prime Minister’s instruction addressed to the Minister of Justice, which has not been fulfilled either.
“If this issue were settled two years ago, I am sure that Armenia would have had a more favorable rating today in the above-mentioned survey. However, the Armenian Lawyers’ Association and the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia will continue their work to make our country cleaner, more transparent and a country of law, and with commitment to meet expectations of our country and the citizens for anti-corruption changes, continuing our rational cooperation with relevant authorities and international organizations,” he said.