The CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia about Armenia’s Ranking in Corruption Perception Index

The CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia has released a statement:

On 23 January, 2020, Transparency International, based on surveys by reputable international organizations, released its Corruption Perceptions Index, where Armenia improved its score by 42 points in 2019 as compared with 2018 and was ranked 77th among 180 countries.

The CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia, since its inception, being a sovereign union of civil society organizations and a key player in the anti-corruption sector in the Republic of Armenia, welcomes the positive improvements in Armenia’s corruption perception indices, considering it as a best example of state-civil society-private sector partnerships

The Coalition declares that any achievement Armenia has made in the fight against corruption makes the fulfillment of the mission that the Coalition has set before it, “to strive to build a happy, harmonious and corruption-free society.” In making such progress, we place particular emphasis on two factors: the political will shown by the current political authorities, and bringing together the efforts of key actors in the fight against corruption to make civil society a major supporter of this fight.

The Coalition considers that the efforts and initiatives taken by the Coalition were also significant in registering such results. The Coalition has assisted the state in identifying issues in these areas, providing expert support, organizing public debates and presenting substantive recommendations. The following are some of the most important results of the Coalition’s anti-corruption activities for 2019, in addition to the above said. Thus:

• In 2018-2019, the Coalition actively participated in the process of developing of the “Anti-Corruption Strategy of the Republic of Armenia and its Implementation Action Plan for 2019-2022” presented by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia (hereinafter: the Strategy), which was adopted at the 3 October 2019 sitting of the RA Government. In particular, 133 recommendations were submitted by the Coalition from which 101 were accepted fully, partially, or taken into consideration. 5 public debates on the Draft Strategy were organized in Yerevan and the regions of Armenia. The Government-Civil Society International Expert Conference: “RA Anti-Corruption Strategy in Light of International Experience” was organized as well https://armla.am/en/3984.html. Summary of the discussions of the Government-Civil Society International Expert Conference “RA Anti-Corruption Strategy in Light of International Experience” is available here: https://armla.am/ en / 4307.html.
• Among the key recommendations submitted by the Coalition, which were adopted in the scope of the Strategy are: the creation of an anti-corruption court, the introduction of the institute for the recovery of stolen assets, conducting awareness activities on the whistleblowers’ institute, introduction of the beneficial owners institute in other areas, and the creation of a public registry, institute of criminal liability of legal entities, introduction of the anti-corruption compliance program: More details at https://armla.am/45592.html.

Against the backdrop of positive results in the fight against corruption, the Coalition also notes that the state authorities have shown weaknesses in the implementation of the anti-corruption institutional system and bodies that are part of that system, in particular the Corruption Prevention Commission and the Anti-Corruption Policy Council. In case of avoiding these weaknesses the Republic of Armenia might have occupied a higher position. In this regard, during 2019, the Coalition submitted several opinions on the Draft Law on making Amendments and Supplements to the RA Law on Corruption Prevention Commission and the formation of the Anti-Corruption Policy Council, which are available at: https://armla.am/45330.html, https://armla.am/45682.html, https://armla.am/45040.html.

Governing Board of the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia

• “NGO Center” Civil Society Development NGO,
• “Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises” NGO,
• “Armenian Association of Young Doctors” NGO,
• “Right and Freedom Center” NGO,
• “Center for Economic Rights” NGO,
• “Tukhmanuk Human Rights and Education Center” NGO,
• “Union of Communities of Armenia” NGO,
• “Support for Equal Opportunities Foundation”,
• “Armenian Lawyers’ Association” NGO, Coordinating Secretariat.