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  • Corruption decreases in some countries but not in Armenia

    Corruption decreases in some countries but not in Armenia

    Yerkir.am
    July 28, 2006

    The World Bank has recently released its third report called
    'Anticorruption in Transition 3- Who is Succeeding... And Why." The
    report concludes that efforts to tackle corruption in former socialist
    countries have yielded positive results but to prevent regression
    sustainable reforms are needed.

    Armenia's scores in comparison with other countries

    WB experts say Armenia should continue tackling bribery. According
    to the report, in 2005, the 200 Armenian companies surveyed have
    continued to pay bribes in the same frequency as in 2002 courts but
    is still below the average for countries of the CIS. Meanwhile, the
    bribery incidences have increased in tax and customs bodies as well
    as in courts.

    The survey showed that the businessmen in Armenia (as well as in
    Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) do not consider corruption to be a serious
    problem as they colleagues in other CIS countries do. The report
    also indicated that while the portion of the 'tax burden' is lower
    for the companies in Armenia, Croatia, Lithuania and Moldova, the
    overall volume of the bribes paid is much bigger due to the rapid
    growth of economies in those countries.

    In Armenia - as well as in Georgia and Moldova - the incidences of
    bribery are more frequent for registering companies and taxation
    process, and in Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgizstan,
    the problem of tax administration is more acute.

    WB experts have concluded that in Armenia, Albania, Russia and
    Azerbaijan, the bribery has significantly grown on the legislative
    level where the "rules of the game" are frequently distorted to fit a
    small number of the privileged. Meanwhile, in those terms a significant
    improvement has been seen in Bulgaria, Lithuania, Slovakia, Ukraine,
    Georgia and Slovenia.

    The survey said the in Armenia the bribery in the tax administration
    has risen from the previous low level to the middle.

    Noteworthy is a conclusion made in the report that Armenia launched a
    " Anticorruption Strategic Program" in 2003 and in 2004 a high-level
    anticorruption commission was set up headed by the country's prime
    minister. But several corruption indicators have even degraded. In
    contrast, a National Anticorruption Strategy was launched in Georgia
    followed by Actions Plan. This plan has been applied in conjunction
    with aggressive anticorruption policies and institutional reforms,
    which have resulted in reduction of bribery and change in society's
    tolerance towards corruption.

    By Mher Ohanian
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