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On June 26 in the “Armenia-Marriott” hotel on the initiative of the Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs of the RA National Assembly a debate on the theme “The Transparency in the Sphere of Defense Governance” was held, where NA deputies, international experts, representatives of state bodies, police and NGOs were taking part.

The Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs Koryun Nahapetyan had an opening word. He has said that the event is held jointly with the Geneva Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF). The Committee Chairman has noted that as a result of concrete actions implemented during the past months the capabilities of the committee have developed. Highlighting the chosen theme Koryun Nahapetyan has said that the problem of the transparency in the sphere of administration is of importance from the aspect of the development of democracy in the country. According to the Committee Chairman, the transparency and reporting are the most important factors, which provide the rise of efficiency in the sphere of administration. Koryun Nahapetyan has noticed that the transparency makes visible the policy being pursued in the sphere of defense, gives opportunity to assess the achievements, record the shortcomings and mark the main directions through which it becomes possible to solve the existing problems.

By the assessment of the Deputy Director DCAF Philipp Fluri, the cooperation under the Memorandum of Understanding is one of the programmes being successfully implemented by the Centre. Speaking about implementing a complete parliamentary oversight towards the sphere of defense the Deputy Director said that the parliament first should understand how the defense system, the Ministry of Defense and the armed forces are administered.

Then the speakers presented the best international experience in the sphere of governance, touched upon the transparency of the sphere, the strengthening of welfare, and highlighted the role of the parliament in the oversight of the problems of the defense administration.

The former Minister of Defense of Bulgaria Todor Tagarev touched upon the role and the responsibility of the Ministry of Defense of his country, also talked about being pursued in the sphere.

The former First Deputy of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Leonid Polyakov talked about the reasons causing corruption in the sphere of defense, presented the strategic approaches of risk reduction in the sphere. In the opinion of the former Deputy Minister’s opinion, there are sphere, where it is not possible to fully eliminate the corruption: it may be only reduced.

The former Senator of the Netherlands, the former Minister of Defense, the former Secretary General of the Western European Union Wim Van Eekelen touched upon the role of the parliament in the control of the administration problems of the defense.