Mr. Prime Minister,
I offer you, by this letter, to investigate the procedure and the results of the competition conducted on March 12 by the National Project Implementation Unit for Legal Regulations. I had applied for the vacant position of PR Officer. I was invited for interview and was not informed about the results by no way later. Meanwhile, according to the procedure currently in force, they had to inform a participant on the results of the competition the same day, immediately, and application is allowed during that same period of time. But one is to be informed to complain about.
We, the participants, were held in the corridor of the Governmental building for five hours without any conveniences; even chairs were not offered, subjecting us, in this way, to mental humiliation. The interview carried formal character, in my case, though, it might be expected since I wasn’t an unfamiliar person in the field I applied for, to put it mildly. The examination of “excellent knowledge” of English and computer skill was not hinted even slightly by the competition jury. It nothing remains but to assume that these qualities in the request list of the competition was just a formal step. Nevertheless. As I called to the competition jury yesterday, they named the winner, adding in no time, “The nomination is signed already.” In other words, complaining was out of time. I guess, on the base of this, “the winner” was the candidate under your protection; she works in the Central Bank. I can imagine what a severe fight took place and what an ugly form of protectionism played role in the competition for the next two higher positions, the manager and the head of division.
Look, please, at the personal data of the candidates, work experience and you hardly can come to any conclusion other than mine. Demand, please, explanation from the competition jury, if all this was not done with your acknowledge, of course.
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It is not the most terrible thing, even, but in widespread poverty huge salaries are set for that positions, 1500-2000 Euro, contributing thus to the external debt of the Republic of Armenia, though these figures are carefully hidden even from the competition participants. When I asked to make clear the amount of salary and the duration of the expected contract, they denied giving any answer. It turns out that one takes part in a competition the conditions of which is kept secret from him or her. I wonder if NASA keeps secrets this way. And when, during the interview with me, the Manager of the Office, former Minister Armen Yeghiazaryan asked about my expectations of the salary I said, “high, in the reasonable range”, they, the jury members, burst into laugh. It, perhaps, because one must not be guided by reasonable arguments to apply for these kind of programs.
P.S.
Months ago a citizen having had taken part in similar competitions suggested me to write about them. At that time I answered him I used to cover political issues. Now I think my rejection was not justified, in particular because I am informed sufficiently about similar competitions. And being informed prompted me to take part in the competition, keeping on the manner of verifying the facts and information. And now I expect of your answer and moves, which I would like do not contradict the mood and content of your public speeches.
Narine Mkrtchyan