Yesterday the Minister of Diaspora, Mkhitar Hayrapetyan made a noteworthy announcement during the interview. He said that he had studied the financial part of the Ministry’s projects since the very first day of his office: “I fear, I have seen possible corruption risks. If we are able to get rid of corruption risks and use the budget more effectively, the projects will neither be moved, nor ceased.”
The Minister gave details on what he meant saying corruption risks: “If the same organizations have won the tenders for 10 years in a row, and the current projects should be implemented by the same organizations, I, as the Minister of Diaspora, definitely see issues.”
Mkhitar Hayrapetyan said that if they announce competitions again – with open, transparent and conditions available to all, then they will definitely continue implementing those projects as usual.
Asked where precisely he had seen the corruption risk, the Minister answered: “I need a few days to speak more certainly, inasmuch as we now collect and work with audit.”
To the question whether the organizations winning the tenders regularly are close to the former minister – Hranush Hakobyan, Mkhitar Hayrapetyan replied: “Not only. I will make a certain announcement in certain fields with certain agreements and certain names. I do not have any constraints from this part. I do not avoid of saying, because I am afraid or constrained, I simply want to tell our taxpayer that from the taxes he paid over 1 billion budget is formed. I should show that those taxes are going to be spent more effectively.”
He said that a lot of structural changes should take place within the Ministry to allow working more effectively. The Minister will invite a press conference in the upcoming 3-4 days and make more certain announcements on all of it. It is possible for the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia enter the Ministry of Diaspora.
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
