“How come the same organizations have won the tenders for years? From this perspective my control service has a lot to do,” announced the Minister of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia, Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, during the press conference invited in the Ministry. He assured that reliable facts are not presented to him by the respective persons who have carried out those competitions. Mr. Hayrapetyan assured, by the appointment of his team, the appointment of the new director of Armenia-Diaspora Center, Hakob Aslanyan, all corruption risks will be excluded henceforth.
The Minister informed that “My Armenia”, “Come Home”, “Summer Camp” programs will be delayed. Afterwards he disclosed some ineffective expenditures in the programs, as voiced well as some of his doubts.
Speaking about “Come Home” program, Mkhitar Hayrapetyan said: “8000 drams are presented for a two-course meal of the children. It is apparent, isn’t it? What lunch should it be? Should they serve a lamb or black caviar to each child? Issues are in place here, yes, perhaps from the legal perspective you can afford such extravagance, but every dram that the taxpayer has paid to us we have to spend maximum effectively and spot on. From this sense I have serious doubts.”
The Minister informed that the same hotel has received guests for years: “It takes 1 or 1,5 kilometers to take a child from the X hotel to Yerevan State University and back, and 1300 drams. A question pops up in my mind – what standards were considered for deciding on the amount? Even if one child is taken and brought back by taxi, it takes 1200 drams, but 4 children could have taken 1 taxi, for example. This speaks of the value system, the philosophy. I do not want to say lavish things, speak about expenditures, but it is not excluded that we speak about it as well. If we multiply 1300 by years, we will see what amounts come about.”
As informed by the Minister, the “Diaspora” summer school and “Come Home” programs will be merged and a single program will be organized on the ground of their common principles, another program will be presented as well.
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
