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3rd Assembly

On December 19, 2018, within the framework of an anti-corruption event dedicated to the International Anti-Corruption Day, the 3rd assembly of the Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenian CSOs was held.

During the assembly, Karen Zadoyan, the coordinator of the coalition’s secretariat and president of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association, presented the activity report of the Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenian CSOs for the period of 21.07.2017-31.10.2018, which was then approved after discussion. Afterwards, coalition representatives Syuzanna Soghomonyan, Mariam Zadoyan, and Marat Atovmyan presented the coalition’s 2019-2023 strategy. After discussion, it was approved. The strategy expressed the strategic goals, objectives, and action plan of the Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenian CSOs. The main objectives are 3:

  1. Increase the effectiveness of public oversight by civil society organizations (hereinafter CSOs) over the government’s anti-corruption reforms,
  2. Contribute to the introduction and development of effective policies and mechanisms aimed at eliminating corruption, promote the development of a conscientious, transparent, accountable, professional governance system,
  3. Contribute to the formation and establishment of the perception of corruption as a threat to society, the formation of public intolerance towards corruption, an environment of contempt, and the demand for honest governance in society, and raise public awareness through the reactivation of anti-corruption centers based on anti-corruption education, corruption prevention, and the inevitability of punishment.

The main issues include:

  • Contribute to the introduction of an independent anti-corruption universal professional body in Armenia based on well-argued successful international experience,
  • Contribute to the protection of whistleblowers’ rights in Armenia and the implementation of a unified state anonymous electronic platform for whistleblowing,
  • Develop the bizprotect.am public anonymous electronic platform for whistleblowing,
  • Contribute to reforms of the institution of illicit enrichment and monitoring of illicit enrichment cases,
  • Contribute to the introduction of a real beneficial owners registry in Armenia based on well-argued successful international experience,
  • Contribute to the introduction of the institution of stolen asset recovery in Armenia and the development of capacities in this field,
  • Contribute to the introduction of anti-corruption compliance programs in Armenian economic companies.

Note that the last objective was introduced at the suggestion of the “Promoting Anti-Corruption and Reforms” project, which is implemented by the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), Armenian Lawyers’ Association, Corporate Governance Center, and Yerevan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

During the assembly, elections for the management board of the Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenian CSOs were also held. First, the number of the coalition’s management board was approved, and then the election of new board members was held. Below is the list of members of the new management board:

  1. “Armenian Lawyers’ Association” NGO
  2. “International Center for Human Development” NGO
  3. “Audio-Visual Journalists Association” NGO
  4. “Center for Regional Development and Research” NGO
  5. “Armenian Young Doctors Association” NGO
  6. Small and Medium Business Foundation
  7. Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises
  8. Armenian SME Accountants Association
  9. “Astratsolk” Sustainable Development Initiatives NGO
  10. Gyumri “Kantegh” Human Rights NGO
  11. Union of Communities of Armenia
  12. “Center for Economic Law” NGO
  13. “Journalists for Human Rights” NGO