President Sargsyan issues warning to all government agencies
11.12.2017,
16:27
Speaking at a gathering of heads of local self-governments bodies last Saturday Armenia’s president Serzh Sargsyan made a number of statements, which the political forces interpreted as a warning to all government agencies.
YEREVAN, December 11. /ARKA/. Speaking at a gathering of heads of local self-governments bodies last Saturday Armenia’s president Serzh Sargsyan made a number of statements, which the political forces interpreted as a warning to all government agencies. More precisely, Sargsyan accused many heads of communities of abusing their powers and using their position to earn illegal profit. According to him, they use various tricks and scams to privatize community-owned land and also embezzle community budgets.
President Sargsyan was quoted by his press office as saying to the gathering that the authorities had been very lenient towards the community leaders, because of wanting this institution to get established. “I do not want to intimidate none of you, I just want to warn all-level government officials. If they continue abusing their powers, they had better choose other jobs," Sargsyan said.
The president stressed that he was sincerely ready to treat the heads of the communities with all care, whenever possible to help them, be it a personal or community issue. "But we are not ready to see how some of you take the money of our people to their homes. It's a shame," Sargsyan said.
Armen Rustamyan, the head of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s faction in the parliament, said reports about community head abusing their powers had been received quite frequently. However, according to Rustamyan, it is very important not only to raise this problem, but also to ensure further control by responsible structures, which must not try to hide or patronize such activities.
"This includes, among other things, a warning to all agencies responsible for inspecting and initiating criminal cases… The president made it clear that it would no longer be possible to cover up such actions. ..The perpetrators must no longer be covered by officials, and appropriate proceedings will be initiated against all violations," Rustamyan said.
Edmond Marukyan from the opposition Yelk faction said that for many years the authorities, including law-enforcement officials, were well aware of corrupt community leaders that have been enriching themselves before the eyes of the population, privatizing state and public lands.
"The statement of the president says that the top leadership and law-enforcers were aware of what was happening. Many corrupt community heads were forgiven. Law-enforces used to turn a blind eye to these abuses, citing the shortcomings in the system and the need to build effective local self- government bodies but I do not think that these are the drawbacks that were to help build effective local self-government bodies,’ said Marukyan.
He noted that following the president’s statement the prosecutor general must launch an investigation to find out which heads of communities had abused their powers and why they were forgiven. --0-
President Sargsyan was quoted by his press office as saying to the gathering that the authorities had been very lenient towards the community leaders, because of wanting this institution to get established. “I do not want to intimidate none of you, I just want to warn all-level government officials. If they continue abusing their powers, they had better choose other jobs," Sargsyan said.
The president stressed that he was sincerely ready to treat the heads of the communities with all care, whenever possible to help them, be it a personal or community issue. "But we are not ready to see how some of you take the money of our people to their homes. It's a shame," Sargsyan said.
Armen Rustamyan, the head of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s faction in the parliament, said reports about community head abusing their powers had been received quite frequently. However, according to Rustamyan, it is very important not only to raise this problem, but also to ensure further control by responsible structures, which must not try to hide or patronize such activities.
"This includes, among other things, a warning to all agencies responsible for inspecting and initiating criminal cases… The president made it clear that it would no longer be possible to cover up such actions. ..The perpetrators must no longer be covered by officials, and appropriate proceedings will be initiated against all violations," Rustamyan said.
Edmond Marukyan from the opposition Yelk faction said that for many years the authorities, including law-enforcement officials, were well aware of corrupt community leaders that have been enriching themselves before the eyes of the population, privatizing state and public lands.
"The statement of the president says that the top leadership and law-enforcers were aware of what was happening. Many corrupt community heads were forgiven. Law-enforces used to turn a blind eye to these abuses, citing the shortcomings in the system and the need to build effective local self- government bodies but I do not think that these are the drawbacks that were to help build effective local self-government bodies,’ said Marukyan.
He noted that following the president’s statement the prosecutor general must launch an investigation to find out which heads of communities had abused their powers and why they were forgiven. --0-
