More than a month has passed since President Serzh Sargsyan convened a consultation of the Cabinet, during which he talked about “kickbacks,” along with other issues. It would be very natural, if the Cabinet published the results of contests for government orders or purchases during this one month and stated, “These contests have been held in absolutely transparent conditions, those who held the contests and those who won have nothing to do with each
other and any ‘kickback’ is ruled out here.” Unless such a statement is made, we may assume that “kickbacks” continue.
It has been said lots of times that our most painful problem is the interpenetration of government officials and the business. If, for example, a person is the chief of traffic police and has bus routes or if he is the Minister of Nature Protection and is engaged in mining industry at the same time, it is absolutely clear for me that he gets rich at the government’s – i.e. our, taxpayers’ – expense. The same thing happens, when a minister holds a contest and his relative gets the right of construction. By the way, in that case, the low-quality of the building is almost 100% guaranteed. Certainly, it is a positive thing that it is talked about at the highest level. However, incomprehensible things still continue. For example, members of the Cabinet – starting from the Prime Minister – mention in their statements of income that they have gained a million or a few millions of dollars in the past few years, whereas the same Cabinet raises the minimum wage by 2500 AMD thanks to its heroic efforts. Even if we add the wages of the Prime Minister to the wages of the ministers, all the same, the sum is not a million dollars. However, if they declare such sums, then, probably, they can give an account of it. I wonder how.
Perhaps, the buildings in Republic Square are yet-unexhausted sources of enrichment. They have already sold the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but, as far as I can understand, the Cabinet will not be satisfied with this. The Ministry of Transport and Communication, the Cabinet itself, as well as the National Gallery, are in the same square and the officials state that they will sell those buildings too, if they get a good offer. Well, one shouldn’t doubt that there will be such offers. Certainly, that trade also has risks of kickbacks.
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ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
