ARMENIAN OMBUDSMAN MUST FIRST PROTECT HER OWN RIGHTS
Support A1+!Today Armenian Ombudsman Larissa Alaverdyan had to defend her own rights in Parliament. 154.219.000 drams were claimed for financing of Ombudsman staff in 2005. But Government considered the sum unacceptable and will allocate only 93.397.000 drams to Ombudsman Office next year. So, the number of Ombudsman staff employees won’t rise as planned. Government will finance only 36 employees.
Ombudsman Larissa Alaverdyan is discontented with such an attitude. She is sure that it will be impossible to normally perform activity in case of the financing suggested by Government. During 2004 Ombudsman received 2400 appeals. Mrs. Alaverdyan is going to introduce Parliament a special report where the cases of breaking the economic and social rights will be represented. Experience proves that the appeals addressed to Ombudsman increase day by day.
Larissa Alaverdyan affirms by approval of 2005 budget in Parliament Ombudsman Office and Government must come to terms over financing for the sphere.
Mrs. Alaverdyan is paid the wage equal with the one for Constitutional Court Chairman. She asserts the rights of both structures must be equalized, too - in other words, if Constitutional Court has 17 cars, Ombudsman staff must not do with 3 ones. Larissa Alaverdyan is also dissatisfied with the fact that 1 computer accounts for each 5 persons of the staff.
In response to the protest, Armenian Finance and Economy Minister Vardan Khachatryan commented that the rights of Armenian Ombudsman and Constitutional Court Chair hadn’t been equalized, just at attempt was made to raise the status of Ombudsman by increasing the wages. Mr. Khachatryan is sure even the financing suggested is enough to provide normal conditions for functioning of Ombudsman Institute.
