GRECO to Assess Anti-Corruption Activities of Armenia in Early 2006

PanARMENIAN.Net - Yesterday Armenian Premier Andranik Margaryan met with President of the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) of the Council of Europe Drago Kos and OSCE Office in Yerevan Head, Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, reported the Press Service of the Armenian Government. Drago Kos is in Yerevan to take part in an international conference titled National and International Anti-Corruption Legal Instruments and Best Experience. The conference is organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan and the OSCE Coordination Office for Economic and Environmental Issues along with Armenian Government Monitoring Commission for implementing anti-corruption strategies. During the meeting the parties discussed the course of implementation of the three-year anti-corruption program, which is provided for by the anti-corruption strategy. The latter was adopted by the Government of Armenia already in 2003 and underlay Armenia's cooperation with countries and international organizations in that field. Being a GRECO member since January 2004, Armenia has fulfilled all requirements according to the organization regulations, Mr. Margaryan said. In his words the Armenian Parliament has ratified the European Convention on Criminal and Civil Law in struggle against corruption. The UN Convention on Struggle against Corruption is signed and being prepared for ratification, Margaryan said. Since its participation in the GRECO up to now Armenia has presented a complex of responses to questions of the first and second phases of assessment, the Armenian PM also remarked. This May the Armenian Government and interested organizations actively participated in a meeting with the GRECO evaluation group, who arrived in the republic on a working visit.



Drago Kos congratulated A. Margaryan on the holding of the referendum on the constitutional amendments, saying he got to know about the positive outcomes from the media. In his words, the amendments to the Constitution will allow Armenia to become a more democratic country, fitting international standards. Contented with the fact that the struggle against corruption is in focus of Armenian Government's attention, D. Kos considered Armenia's active participation in GRECO natural. He said the GRECO plenary session in early 2006 will provide an assessment of the work done by Armenia in struggle against corruption, which will be followed by organization proposals. Mr. Margaryan expressed readiness of the Armenian Government to discuss these and take into consideration in the future. D. Kos also said that the preparation to the third phase of the assessment by GRECO participants is under way and it will refer to political corruption. In his words, it is a new idea not only for Armenia, but also the entire world. Issues of struggle against corruption and assistance methods will be discussed in the course of a conference to be held in Yerevan November 30, he emphasized, inviting the Armenian PM to take part in the event. Thanking for the invitation, Mr. Margaryan said he was sure the conference will have a positive impact on enhancement of the efficiency of the struggle against corruption in Armenia and wished good luck to the conference.