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09.12.2009 14:42
 Lusine Vasilyan
“Radiolur”
An anti-corruption forum, organized by the USAID Mobilizing Action Against Corruption (MAAC) Activity in cooperation with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Office in Yerevan and the Prosecutor General’s Office of RA marked International Anti-Corruption Day on December 9.
Over 150 representatives of the Armenian government, civil society, private sector, and international organizations attended the forum. Guest speakers at the event included Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, U.S. Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch, Prosecutor General of Armenia Aghvan Hovsepyan, United Nations Resident Coordinator, a.i. Maria Dotsenko, Head of ENP, European Commission Delegation to Armenia Uffe Holst Jensen, Special Representative of the Secretary General, Council of Europe Silvia Zehe, Deputy Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan Carel Hofstra and USAID MAAC Chief of Party François Vézina.
In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Sargsyan emphasized the critical role of the Government’s 2009-2012 Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan, adopted in October 2009, in fighting corruption in the country. In turn, Ambassador Yovanovitch noted the successes of the Advocacy and Assistance Centers (AAC) in combating corruption countrywide. “Here in Armenia, within the last year, there is a rapidly growing number of examples in which local people working together, exercising their rights, and demanding that government officials be held accountable are making a real and tangible difference in the fight against corruption,” she said, “In the last year, over 2,000 people have come to MAAC-supported Advocacy and Assistance Centers and MAAC grantee-NGOs for help, and the Centers, working with prosecutors and the courts, are achieving real and positive results.” The AACs, established with the support of USAID/MAAC between 2008-2009 in all marzes of Armenia, represent NGO-run citizen complaint offices where victims of corruption can receive free legal advice and assistance.
Within the framework of the forum, the Head of the Corruption and Organized Crime Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office, Armen Ashrafyan, presented the “Prosecution Against Corruption” book to event participants. In addition, the Caucasus Research Resource Center-Armenia presented the findings of the MAAC 2009 Corruption Survey of Households while drawing parallels with MAAC’s survey in 2008.
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