“Aravot” comment on controversy caused by several Armenian provincial governors who paid themselves lavish yearend bonuses. “By rewarding themselves and their staffers the governors clearly did not break any laws,” the paper writes in an editorial. “This practice has definitely existed before. But there were also many other [questionable] practices in the government system before the revolution, and tens of thousands of people took to the streets to reject them. Now it is necessary to spread the kind of practices that will not contradict the slogan ‘I serve the Republic of Armenia.’ Public requirements towards government officials are now stricter because we, the taxpayers, entrust them with our money. They must be flawless in terms of not only the law but also moral and ethical norms.”
“The authorities need to realize one simple thing: the rule of law is not the only difference from the former regime which the public wants to see,” writes “Zhamanak.” “The public also wants to see differences in culture, value system, behavior and mentality. Just because something is not illegal does not mean that it will be legitimate in the public’s eyes. The authorities’ task is not just to stick to the letter of the law but also to set the bar high for value-based public cohabitation and mental standards.”
“Every step taken by the new authorities, including on financial transactions, is at the center of public attention,” comments “Past.” “And that is natural. Stereotypes associated with the former authorities have not been completely rooted out, and the behavior of the [current] authorities still keeps those stereotypes alive. The problem is not the bonuses themselves but the fact that the authorities continue to carelessly waste the political capital given to them. The public expects to see a qualitatively new kind of elite for which he it naturally has set strict requirements.”
(Lilit Harutiunian)
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