Cooperation with Government Agencies
MAAC supports State Revenue Committee of Armenia
17 June 2009 - MAAC cooperates with State Revenue Committee of Armenia by providing technical assistance in developing guidelines and providing training to Armenian tax officers on the detection of corruption offences and their reporting to the competent law enforcement agencies.
The Government of Armenia has implemented the Action Plan of the first Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2003-2007. Within that national strategy the government has implemented a number of measures aimed mainly at preventing corruption and also joined many international organizations and signed/ratified agreements and conventions. Among other organizations Armenia joined the Council of Europe Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO) which produced a list of 24 recommendations to improve Armenia’s anti-corruption situation. The last GRECO report (entitled “Compliance Report on Armenia”) on implementation of those recommendations was adopted on 13 June 2008.
In January 2009, MAAC met with Deputy Head of State Revenue Committee of Armenia who also is the Head of Armenian Delegation to GRECO. During this meeting, the Deputy Head requested MAAC’s support in implementing certain GRECO recommendations which have not yet been fully implemented. In particular, he noted GRECO Recommendation xxiii – “To establish guidelines and provide special training for the tax authorities concerning the detection of corruption offences and their reporting to the competent law enforcement agencies”. An agreement was reached that MAAC would assist in preparing such guidelines and training. According to Compliance Report on Armenia:
“Recommendation xxiii.
113. GRECO recommended to establish guidelines and provide special training for the tax authorities concerning the detection of corruption offences and their reporting to the competent law enforcement agencies.
114. The authorities of Armenia report that in 2007 two orders have been adopted by the Head of State Tax Service: the “Order on Approving the Procedure for Implementing Measures for Ensuring the Security of the Tax Authorities of the Republic of Armenia, Tax and Civil Servants of the Tax Authorities of the Republic of Armenia, as well as the Procedure of Discovering Corruption Crimes and Responding to Offensive Actions against the State Tax Service” in March 2007 and the “Order on the Provision of Information on the Detected Tax Violations” in May 2007. These orders inter alia stipulate that any information on tax violations and corruption offences, which have been identified during tax inspections are to be sent to the Investigative Division of the State Tax Service.
115. Furthermore, an anti-corruption training session has been provided to 105 tax officials in August 2007, within the framework of the USAID Armenia Tax Upgrading Project, which included short modules on recognising corruption and the reporting of corruption. In addition, a relevant guideline on inter alia the detection of corruption offences is in the process of being drafted, which will be based on the OECD Bribery Awareness Handbook for Tax Examiners.
116. GRECO takes note of the information provided. It welcomes that tax officials are now required to report any indications of corruption offences they come across during tax inspections to the Investigative Division of the State Tax Service and that an anti-corruption training session has been organised. However, from the information provided on this training session (from which it would appear that only half an hour was devoted to the detection of corruption offences) and in absence of guidelines, GRECO cannot infer that sufficient measures have been taken to facilitate the detection of these offences and to improve co-operation with law enforcement authorities as regards the subsequent investigation of these offences, which it considered to be a particular problem in its Evaluation Report (paragraph 137). GRECO considers the adoption of guidelines and the provision of further training in this area of considerable importance in the absence of a clear prohibition on tax deductibility of facilitation payments, bribes and other expenses related to corruption.
117. GRECO concludes that recommendation xxiii has been partly implemented.” In order to provide the required inputs MAAC engaged an international consultant – Mr. Van Carlton - to support State Revenue Committee in complying with GRECO Recommendation xxiii. The MAAC consultant has prepared draft Guidelines in consultation with tax officers and other stakeholders based on OECD Bribery Awareness Handbook for Tax Examiners. The latter has been translated into Armenian and submitted to State Revenue Committee for consideration. In addition, MAAC and the State Revenue Committee will design and run a training program for tax examiners in July 2009 on detection of corruption and reporting to corresponding law enforcement entities; the training program shall also include the developed Guidelines.
MAAC’s support to State Revenue Committee with regard to aforementioned activities will be finished by end July 2009.
ABOUT MAAC COOPERATION WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
MAAC will support current and new government initiatives aimed at system-level solutions, working initially with 1) the Anti-Corruption Strategy Monitoring Commission, 2) the newly independent Chamber of Control, and 3) the Human Rights Defender. All of these are agencies that can play a central role in supporting GOAM anticorruption efforts. As system-level changes are defined and enacted, MAAC will support civil society involvement and media events to highlight the government’s positive actions. MAAC will assist the following government agencies:
Anti-Corruption Strategy Monitoring Commission (ACSMC)
MAAC will support ACSMC to review and apply international best practices to the new Anticorruption Strategy. Technical assistance, training for local experts, and other types of support will be provided. MAAC will facilitate the transfer of corruption information analyzed by the Advocacy and Assistance Centers (AACs), so that it can be used by the Commission to consider implementation of specific reforms/actions or when monitoring implementation of the Strategy.
MAAC will also support the ACSMC to develop Anti-Corruption Strategy implementation monitoring systems by which ministries and other GOAM agencies identified in the Strategy report back to the ACSMC on the progress of their task commitments as defined in the implementation plan.
Chamber of Control (CoC)
MAAC will support the Chamber of Control in strengthening its audit functionality. MAAC will provide the CoC with technical assistance to develop its internal policies and procedures, ethics code and standards of conduct. MAAC will also provide CoC auditors with training in performance, financial, and environmental audits, fraud detection and corruption risk assessments, etc. MAAC will support the design of a permanent training center with the CoC that will train new auditors and provide continuing professional development of audit staff.
Human Rights Defender (HRD)
MAAC will help HRD to be more effective in fighting corruption and in influencing the executive to increase transparency and accountability. Once AACs start receiving and processing complaints/cases and take decisions on further steps, the human rights - related cases will be forwarded to the HRD office in Yerevan. MAAC will monitor existing issues of HRD that can be raised for public dialogues. When necessary, specific civil society organizations and media activities to tackle these issues will be planned and implemented.
News and Events
Chamber of Control Returns from Study Tour in Bulgaria
1 August 2008 MAAC organized a study tour for CoC to Bulgaria to support the institution’s capacity building and enhance its knowledge in organizational management; the study tour took place from 20 to 30 July 2008.
The main objectives of the study tour were to support the CoC in developing an advanced vision of an independent supreme audit institution, to familiarize the participants with the information and analytical systems used by the Bulgarian auditors to detect fraud, prevent corruption and misuse of public money, and to examine the Bulgarian training center for auditors. |
MAAC briefs CoC delegation as it prepares to leave for Sofia |
The participants of the study tour were welcomed by the Chairman of the Bulgarian National Audit Office (NAO) Professor Valeri Dimitrov, who delivered a lecture entitled "The Role, Legal Framework, Competences, Factions, and Structure of the Bulgarian NAO". Professor Dimitrov also presented the strategic development plan for the NAO. Also, the representatives of Armenian Chamber of Control acquired information about the audit systems used by the Bulgarian NAO to manage the audit process and assuring quality of the audit activity, audit standards and procedures, administrative capacity of the Bulgarian NAO, selection and appointment of personnel, IT policy, and communication strategy of the Bulgarian NAO. Also, study tour representatives were introduced to the Bulgarian NAO cooperation experience with the Bulgarian National Assembly and other state bodies.
The participants of the study tour also visited the territorial office of NAO in Plovdiv where they were introduced to the practical aspects of audit at local level - role, functions, cooperation with the local government administration and other bodies of local self-governance.
Bulgaria has been selected as a destination for the study tour because of its strong historic similarities with Armenia in the organization and performance of the external audit, recent experience of the Bulgarian National Audit Office in implementing structural and organizational changes in the Bulgarian Audit Institution (in particular, connected with Bulgaria’s accession to European Union), and relevant expertise of Bulgaria in legal reform and implementation of international audit standards in fraud detection and fighting corruption areas.
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MAAC Organizes a Workshop On Human Rights And Fight Against Corruption
1 July 2008 On 1 July, the MAAC Activity organized a one-day training workshop for Human Rights Defender (HRD) staff on the linkages between the protection of human rights and the fight against corruption. The workshop was conducted by Mr. Christian Gruenberg of the International Council on Human Rights Policy in Geneva.
The objectives of the workshop were to introduce HRD staff to the conceptual and practical links between human rights and corruption, to provide examples of how some HRD and Ombudsmen in other countries are involved in the fight against corruption, and to facilitate a discussion on entry points and action plan regarding an enhanced role by HRD in fighting corruption in Armenia. |
MAAC COP Francois Vezina and the Human Rights Defender Armen Harutyunyan during the opening of the Workshop |
The workshop was the first attempt to 'institutionalize' the anti-corruption agenda in the HRD office through capacity building. MAAC will consider further areas of support based on the results of this workshop, including capacity building as well as organizational development. |
Mr. Christian Gruenberg delivers the workshop |
MAAC, along with other organizations from Armenia, present at 7th General Meeting of the Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ACN).
28 June 2008 The 7th General Meeting of the Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ACN) took place on 25-27 June 2008, in Tbilisi, Georgia. MAAC, along with other organizations from Armenia, was present at the meeting.
The meeting addressed issues relating to international anti-corruption conventions and monitoring mechanisms, role of business in preventing and fighting corruption, investigation and prosecution of complex and high-level corruption cases, prevention of corruption through management of conflict of interest and asset declarations for public officials, and ways to mobilise societal support for the anti-corruption political agenda.
MAAC Awards a Grant To Support the ACSMC Expert Group in Developing the New Anti-Corruption Strategy
5 June 2008 On 5 June 2008, the Mobilizing Action Against Corruption (MAAC) Activity awarded a grant to the Freedom of Information Center of Armenia (FOICA) NGO to support the Anti-Corruption Strategy Monitoring Commission (ACSMC) Expert Group in developing the new National Anti-Corruption Strategy by providing technical expertise and facilitating communication between the Expert Group and civil society.
In particular, FOICA will provide the Expert Group with an assessment of the outcomes of implementation of 2003-2007 Anti-Corruption Strategy in the fields of education, health, judiciary, customs, taxation, banking, and other spheres. FOICA will also provide advisory and expertise in the content development process of the new National Anti-Corruption Strategy, launched in September 2007, particularly in regard to Anti-Corruption preventive measures, codes of behavior of public servants, public accountability, criminalizing of the corruption, education and staff training, information management on corruption, and civil society contribution to struggle against corruption.
Also, FOICA will support the ACSMC in facilitating communication between the Expert Group and civil society during the process of elaboration of the new Anti-Corruption Strategy. FOICA will organize roundtable discussions with the civil society groups, produce and broadcast TV talk shows, conduct public discussions on printed version of the strategy, and organize press conferences to present the drafts and the final version of the Strategy to the public. The activities will take place both in Yerevan and in marzes.
This grant is only one of MAAC’s support activities to the ACSMC Expert Group. MAAC will continue supporting the ACSMC Expert Group and facilitating the ACSMC-civil society dialogue through technical expertise and other types of assistance.
MAAC organizes a discussion on the Development of a GOAM New Anticorruption Strategy
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MAAC COP François Vézina opens the Conference’ |
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The Conference was attended by Government officials, civil society representatives, and the media |
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The Chairman of Anticorruption Strategy Monitoring Commission Gevorg Mheryan answers the journalists' questions |
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The Post-plenary Q&A session |
On November 7, the USAID MAAC Activity, in collaboration with UNDP Armenia, organized a conference marking the start of the development of the new National Anticorruption Strategy of Armenia. The conference focused on the Government of Armenia agenda and plans to fight corruption, on informing the development of the new Anticorruption Strategy, and on the introduction of the USAID/Armenia Mobilizing Action Against Corruption (MAAC) Activity to government and CSO representatives, including the media.
The speakers of the conference included the Chairman of Anticorruption Strategy Monitoring Commission Gevorg Mheryan, the Minister of Science and Education Levon Mkrtchyan, the US Charge d'Affaires Joseph Pennington, UNDP Resident Representative Consuelo Vidal, Council of Europe Special Representative of the Secretary General Bojana Urumova, OSCE Deputy Head of Office Marc Bojanic, representatives of government agencies, NGOs, media, and donor community. The conference included sessions on the Anticorruption strategy and donor support, Strategy content and structure, and Anticorruption priorities and measures in different sectors.
The main objectives of the Conference were the following:
- To make the general public, civil society activists, and international donor community aware of the Government of Armenia agenda and plans about the fight against corruption, and, in particular, about development of a new multi-year anticorruption strategy, action plan, and monitoring system with key performance indicators;
- To inform the development of new Anticorruption Strategy (Phase 1) by inviting main groups of stakeholders to present their viewpoints and recommendations for the new Anticorruption Strategy in terms of priorities, policy directions, content or structure of the strategy paper; and
- To introduce the USAID/Armenia Mobilizing Action Against Corruption (MAAC) Activity to stakeholders and the public in general.
The conference provided a forum for an open and comprehensive discussion on the state of affairs of the anticorruption processes in Armenia. During the plenary sessions and the subsequent Q&A sessions, the participants raised issues regarding different expressions of corruption in virtually all the sectors of Armenian society. The Conference has been the first step for the subsequent discussions around the development of the new Anticorruption strategy.