VZCZCXRO8812
RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHYE #0126/01 0370619
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060619Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4845
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 000126 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CARC, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KCOR SOCI AM
SUBJECT: SURVEY FINDS ARMENIANS LESS TOLERANT OF CORRUPTION 
 
REF: YEREVAN 118 
 
YEREVAN 00000126  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1. Armenians are becoming less tolerant of corruption, 
according to a Transparency International Armenia (TIA) 
survey released January 31.  The most striking symbol of 
their mounting dissatisfaction was respondents' answers to a 
question regarding the most visible and common manifestation 
of Armenian corruption: low-level bribery. 
The number of respondents who said they would refuse to give 
a bribe increased significantly from the last TI 
survey, taken in 2002.  The number of respondents who said 
they believed corruption was a problem also increased. 
Respondents weighed in on the most corrupt public 
institutions (electoral system, traffic police and regular 
police) and the main causes of corruption (poor law 
enforcement, society's low moral values and inefficient 
control and punishment mechanisms).  The complete report can 
be found at www.transparency.am.  END SUMMARY. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
RESPONDENTS SAY CORRUPTION IS ON THE RISE 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. Just under two-thirds of respondents to the 2006 TIA 
Corruption Perception Survey said corruption had "increased," 
or "increased significantly," during the last three years. 
About 8 percent of the 1,500 households 
surveyed said corruption had decreased in that period of 
time.  And according to the UNDP-funded survey, more people 
perceive corruption to be a problem than in 2002.  In the new 
survey, 89 percent of respondents said corruption was a 
problem in Armenia, up from 80 percent in 2002.  At the same 
time, nearly half of poll respondents said they would refuse 
to give a bribe -- double the number of the 2002 survey. 
 
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CORRUPTION: A NATIONAL VALUE? 
----------------------------- 
 
¶3. Respondents blamed corruption on the government, and to a 
lesser degree, on their culture.  More than one-third of 
respondents defined corruption (in a new question in the 2006 
survey) as "accepted tradition" or "national mentality." 
About 52 percent called it a "crime" or "immoral behavior." 
And while 94 percent of respondents blamed corruption on poor 
law enforcement, about 88 percent said public tolerance of 
corruption allowed it to continue.  About 80 percent blamed 
corruption on society's "low morals."  Respondents also 
blamed the lack of political will (75 percent), dominance of 
clan interests over state interests (86 percent) the poor 
economy (82 percent) and a "culture of 'kick-backs'" (75 
percent).  When asked who initiated corruption, about 58 
percent of respondents' first answer was "state authorities," 
but nearly 41 percent answered "ordinary citizens."  When 
asked who was responsible for corruption, respondents 
overwhelmingly named the president, the government, the 
National Assembly, the judiciary and law enforcement. 
 
¶4. On a list of 22 state institutions including the 
president, the president's office, cabinet ministers, the 
courts, and the Central Bank, not a single one had the 
confidence of at least 50 percent of poll respondents. 
Cabinet ministers, collectively, were perceived to be the 
most corrupt institution, with more than 93 percent of 
respondents rating them "somewhat corrupt," "corrupt" or 
"very corrupt."  The state institutions perceived to be least 
corrupt were the Central Bank (59 percent corrupt) and the 
human rights ombudsman (53 percent corrupt).  On a list of 
sectors and services, the electoral system, the traffic 
police, the regular police, the education and healthcare 
systems and the tax and customs services also had 
astronomical corruption rankings: 95 percent for the 
electoral system down to 85 percent for the customs service, 
with the others falling in between. 
 
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EXCUSES, EXCUSES 
---------------- 
 
¶5. When presented with a list of justifications for 
corruption, the majority of respondents found each excuse 
unacceptable.  However, about 42 percent agreed that there 
was no other way to get things done, while more than 
one-quarter said corruption was acceptable to avoid 
punishment.  About 25 percent also said corruption was 
justified when it resulted in additional income. 
 
YEREVAN 00000126  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6. Survey respondents recognized the adverse effects of 
corruption, with more than 75 percent agreeing that 
corruption increased poverty, crime and apathy, endangered 
national security and moral values, and decreased the 
legitimacy of authorities. 
 
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WHAT CAN BE DONE? 
----------------- 
 
¶7. Respondents did not show much confidence in Armenia's 
ability to fight corruption, with nearly three-quarters 
saying the country's efforts were not effective.  Nearly 30 
percent said corruption could not eliminated at all, and 43 
percent were slightly more positive, saying corruption could 
be limited to a certain degree.  Respondents said free and 
fair elections, stronger law enforcement, stricter control 
over state institutions and stricter punishment as well as 
increased public awareness could improve the situation.  When 
asked what they personally could do to reduce corruption in 
Armenia, 59 percent of respondents answered, "Nothing." 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶8. The survey confirms what we already know: While Armenians 
understand corruption is a problem, they largely 
feel helpless or complacent about it.  Of course, though this 
survey does not reveal it, probably a large majority of 
Armenians regularly offers bribes to cope with the petty 
nuisances of state authority, some more willingly than 
others.  Though they may be far from reaching their boiling 
point, the increase in the number of people who say they 
would refuse to pay a bribe seems a sign of progress. 
GODFREY