The dispute around the government structural changes seems to me rather scholastic for the moment. Indeed, generally, it is true that in a small country like ours, there should be less Ministries a smaller administrative apparatus, and the taxpayers’ money, with regard to these expenditures, should be saved. There is also such a law in the business: you expand the staff, allegedly starting new tasks, but in reality, these tasks are proceeding slower than expected and with less benefit than they had to spend. And getting rid of people is rather a complex task. Ordinary owner, at least once a year, reviews his staff-lists.
In principle, the government’s posture is also correct that that all heads of the ministries should be accountable to the parliament. Why does the minister of defense come to the National Assembly and answer the questions of the parliamentarians, whereas the Police Chief or the head of NSS does not? Whatever the parliament is (it seems to me that the staff of this convocation is generally better than the previous one), whatever Q&A is a weak tool, at least to this extent, such a dialogue a bit alerts the authorities and raises a slight sense of responsibility in them.
But prior to this theoretical true moves, conceptually, it is necessary to determine a more conceptual task of what objectives the government is planning to achieve for the next two years, until the 2017 parliamentary elections. Suppose, there is an objective regarding the youth, which the best will be implemented by the joint ministry of education, culture and sports. Or, if under the “internal affairs” we understand broader powers than the mere police function, then this modification makes sense. In other words, the objectives should first be thought about and formulated, then talk about structures and means. When you ask a leading pianists which brand of the piano is better, the answer usually is as follows, it depends on the work you play and how you are going to perform it.
Definitely, it may be objected that it is not the time and the government is engaged in solving operation matters. Aha, when “quiet times” will come, only then it will be possible to address such issues. Meanwhile, the prime minister and the ministers have to meet almost every day with this-or-that complaining group. But, there have not been and will never be “quiet times” in independent Armenia. There will always be big and small fires, which the public authorities will have to extinguish. This does not mean that determine priorities for the coming years is not an urgent task. And in the context of these priorities, the structural changes should also be considered.
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Otherwise, we will always have a room to doubt that the cause for these changes are some palace machinations.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
