Corruption More Widespread, According to Armenians

It couldn't be love, peace, happiness, or food for the needy. No! It had to be corruption.

In 2006, nearly five times more interviewees (67.7%) than in 2002 (14%) stated that corruption has always existed in Armenia. The majority of interviewees (64.0%) believe that the level of corruption has increased during the last three years.

While prioritizing the solutions to improve the current situation, 89.0% of the respondents pointed to a necessity of ensuring free and fair elections. They also referred to strengthening law enforcement (93.9%) and punishment of those involved in corruption (91.9%) as a key to the success of reducing corruption in the country.

It is not yet known how much the surveying organization was bribed to produce favorable - or unfavorable, depending on your perspective - findings on corruption. Just kidding!

Source: A1+

Armenia to End Police Bribery

Seems like the good old days of bribing the road police in place of costly fines may be at an end.

Traffic police have long been associated with bribery in Armenia rather than road safety. Armen Malkhasyan, a lawyer at the Yerevan police service, says that eliminating the taking of bribes from drivers is one of the main purposes of the program. That is why the program replaced stationary officers with car patrols throughout the city.

“You won’t see now any stationary roadside policemen. If you do, call the police,” says Malkhasyan. The installation of cameras with fixed-penalty fines for violations is intended to make the work of policemen easier, because many do not dare to stop luxury cars of state officials or wealthy businessmen at present.

By the way, this program is to cost $40 million until 2010. Let's hope it works, because police corruption is one of those Communist-era stains that just will not go away.

Source: Armenia Now