There should be Will to overcome Corruption, Sharp Increase in Wages cannot help to eliminate Corruption: Marat Atovmyan

During the regular lesson of the Anti-Corruption School for Young Leaders, the participants discussed the essence of corruption, the history of development and the impact of corruption in social, economic and other spheres.

Mr. Marat Atovmyan, Anti-Corruption Expert, Member of Board of the Armenian Lawyers, Association, presented the definition of “corruption”, which is accepted in the world.

Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain.  

The participants of the school presented their own viewpoints on the causes of corruption. The attendees pointed out the following points:

  • Imperfections in the Legislation,
  • Low level of legal culture among the society,
  • Low professional qualifications of the officials,
  • Institutional disadvantage of the state apparatus,
  • Low level of public control over the state,
  • Low salaries,
  • State Administration of Economy,
  • Constrained economy / monopolies,
  • Economic and political instability / inflation,
  • Low level of economic development,
  • Traditions.

“There are stereotypes that it is impossible to overcome corruption, in order to overcome corruption there is a need to dramatically increase wages or fight corruption with only brutal methods that are wrong. Complex measures are needed to overcome corruption; merely dramatic rise in salaries cannot help to eliminate corruption. In China, the death penalty is widely used. Execution is applied for some corruption crimes as well, but the indicators show that no considerable results have been achieved in the area of fight against corruption,” Marat Atovmyan said.

“The Armenian Lawyers’ Association” NGO is organizing the Anti-Corruption School for Young Leaders in cooperation with the Armenian CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition.

Iravaban.net independent information website is the information partner of the Anti-Corruption School for Young Leaders.