German Ambassador: There is great mistrust in government, opposition and public (video)
German Ambassador to Armenia is glad to see that Armenia is one of the countries where people speak about corruption. “There are many countries that do not even hold discussions on this topic,” says Mr Matthias Kiesler. Forty years ago, no one was talking about corruption in Germany though everyone was aware of its existence. On Tuesday, May 31, the Minister of Justice of Armenia had a meeting with foreign diplomats accredited in Armenia. The minister assured them that Armenia will continue the fight against corruption. “And we shall follow to see whether you have tangible results [in the fight],” says Ambassador Kiesler. He says not only the government and political figures but also the society should fight against corruption which has far deeper roots. Matthias Kiesler knows that June 1 was the deadline for the adoption of the new Electoral Code in Armenia. The law was passed more than a week ago, and now everyone is waiting for the opinion of the Venice Commission. "I think we should wait for the publication of the final report which is expected in June. It is important to take the recommendations of the Venice Commission seriously. We see that there is great mistrust in the Government, the opposition and society, and it is necessary to fill this gap and show mutual understanding on this issue," he said. The German Ambassador is also aware that the Electoral Code was adopted without considering the proposals of the opposition. “You had better ask the question to your government and opposition. There are proposals that they were to consider and implement,” Matthias Kiesler said.
