In the interview with Aravot.am, the political scientist Gagik Hambaryan, referring to the inflated number of agencies in Armenia, cited very interesting examples from the experience of different countries.
“We are used to establishing special ministries to provide jobs for appropriate people and party members. I want to illustrate a few numbers. It turns out that in 320 million populated America there are only 15 ministries, in 150 million populated Russia that has the world’s largest land area – only 21, in 17 million populated Kazakhstan – 18, in 45-50 million populated Ukraine – only 17, and in 65 million populated France – 20 ministries… I would like to say an interesting fact about Japan. There is a law in this country, according to which, the number of ministries cannot exceed 17. It’s in emergency cases, but in general, according to Japanese law, it is fixed that the number of ministries should be 14. In other words, we can draw an interesting conclusion that in Japan the law prohibits any political party that comes to power increases the number of ministries, like in Armenia, and ensure jobs for appropriate party members.
An absurd point, according to official data, in 3 million populated Armenia, according to unofficial data, not more than 2.5 million people are living in Armenia, there are 20 ministries, we can say 19, I do not want to consider that the head of the government’s staff is with ministerial portfolio, though it is also a ministry, and 10 state committees, many of which are something like a ministry. For example, the National Security Service, the Police, the State Revenue Committee, which was closed a few days ago, because its head became the Finance Minister. It is amazing to me why we need the Ministry of Sports. In addition to the Greco-Roman wrestling and weightlifting, what other successes do we have in sports to open a ministry of sports in this poor country? I do not consider chess as a sport, chess is a science, more an art. Or, would you say why the Ministry of Diaspora has been opened? What activities does it conduct? To implement “Ari Tun” phony program? What does it mean “Ari Tun”? First, keep your people in your houses. Whom are you inviting to come home? Given these facts, we can say that in a small and poor country like Armenia, with a population of a Moscow’s administrative district, we cannot have much exaggerated number of ministries. In a small country like Armenia, only 7-8 ministries can do everything. Do you see horribly big size of bureaucratic apparatus, which like a tumor is multiplied with metastasis? This is not right.
If in a country like the U.S., which is considered to be the world’s superpower, and this country thrives with only 15 ministries, and there are ministries that are topical for the United States, for example, there is a Ministry dealing with Veterans affairs, in other words, it comes by the seriousness of the time. There are cases when the ministries are closed, and they are opened by the importance of the time. Well, in the same U.S., which is considered the world’s most developed country, there are no ministries of industry, environment, and sports. So, doesn’t this country have sports or industry? Can you tell why Armenia needs the ministry of economy or 20 ministerial portfolio and 10 state committees? At whose expense? The police need to be combined with the national security, bring all the financial sector to one department,” says political scientist Gagik Hambaryan.
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Nune AREVSHATYAN
