Officials in Armenia will no longer be able to receive gifts, tokens or treats. These points are now added to the number of well-known obligations of civil servants, such as respecting the rule of law and political neutrality, acting transparently and accountably.
What is a “gift” and a “treat”, what rules of conduct civil servants will have to adhere to and what results are expected after the introduction of a new code of conduct?
The new code of conduct was developed by the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption with the participation of experts from the Council of Europe. It contains mandatory rules, for the violation of which officials will be held accountable in accordance with the current legislation. Decisions will be made individually by the manager – from warning up to dismissal.
There are also optional, but desirable rules, for the implementation of which you can expect encouragement, but civil servants will not be punished for their violation.
The document has been put up for public discussion on the e-draft.am platform, where projects and legislative initiatives of state departments are published. Until March 30, the citizens of Armenia can submit their proposals on this website.
There are no entries there yet, but social media is already asking why the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption believes that these “new rules” will be effective.
New rules are introduced in addition to the law
The rules of conduct for civil servants are spelled out in the law “On Public Service”. But the same law stipulates the need for the Commission on the Prevention of Corruption to adopt a code of conduct – based on the existing principles.
In addition, the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption believes that the rules of conduct adopted under the law “On Public Service” remained on paper, their “efficiency was not so great”.
“These are new rules that are being introduced in an institutional way, thanks to which the work of a civil servant becomes not only more free from corruption risks, but also accountable”, said Commission Chair Haykuhi Harutyunyan.
Formation of the image of an honest, conscientious and law-abiding civil servant in the commission is considered “an effective tool in the fight against corruption”.
As a result of the implementation of the new rules, it is expected
to strengthen the ethical system of public service,
to ensure the unity of the rules of conduct for all civil servants,
increase the level of public confidence in the civil service,
create another tool for preventing corruption in the public sector,
raise public demand for expected behavior in the civil service.
Mandatory and desirable rules of conduct
The list of mandatory rules includes compliance with laws, political neutrality and political correctness, transparency and accountability of activities, a ban on accepting gifts and “treats”. Civil servants must show integrity and dedication to the public interest, and report cases of corruption and other violations.
The draft clarifies what exactly is meant by a “gift”. This is any offering, advantage, property that “would not be reasonable to give to a person who does not hold any office”. This includes “property donated or sold at a clearly disproportionately low price, a service provided free of charge or at a disproportionately low price, free use of someone else’s property” and other corruption risks in the same context.
A treat, or hospitality, is, according to the project, “a type of gift offered, given or received to start, strengthen or develop official relations”. This refers to the invitations to receptions, entertainment, offers to participate in social or sporting events in which the “hospitable” participates or is present.
Optional rules, according to the draft, “are aimed at creating a more moral image of a civil servant”. Here the emphasis is on the need for personal work of an official on his development and improvement.
These rules include providing the necessary support to colleagues, creating a favorable working atmosphere and environment, raising awareness of their subordinates about the laws, principles of public service and the canons of behavior.
