Consequent meeting of the Stakeholders' Committee was held on April 29, 2008.
Finally the following agenda was agreed: MCA-Armenia CEO presented progress
on implementation for the period of the last meeting up to now, representatives
of the Stakeholders’ Committee report, Hrachik Javadyan’s application
to the resignation as a representative of the Stakeholders’ Committee
at the Governing Council and Myron Hirniak letter on April 11, 2008. Since discussions
prolonged, two other items of the agenda - election of the new representative
to the Governing Board and "Water to Market" project results and future
steps - were postponed to May 6, 2008.
First, it was offered to include - development of democratic institutions in
Armenia as a precondition for MCA-Armenia implementation – in the agenda.
This suggestion was declined as a result of vote (pro-4, con-5, and abstain-4).
Majority of members of the Stakeholders’ Committee consider the issue
out of the topic and competence. Meanwhile as a compromise, it was decided to
organize public hearings in early May focusing on various issues concerning
MCA-Armenia.
Heavy discussions and debates were around the second issue that is Myron Hirniak’s
letter regarding apparent conflict of interest related to Ashot Voskanyan case.
Mr. Myron Hirniak was formally invited to the meeting for clarification of the
situation yet he was absent.
The main objective of Mr. Ashot Voskanyan case is that being elected by the
Stakeholders’ Committee as a voting member of the MCA-Armenia Governing
Council to represent civil society he also holds the position of Director of
the Agricultural Support Republican Center (ASRC) that is under direct supervision
of the Minister of Agriculture. As mentioned in Myron Hirniak letter this “…would
appear to have a conflict in his ability to act objectively and independently
from that ministry in representing the interests of civil society”. Accordingly,
Mr. Voskanyan impartiality as a voting member of the Governing Council is put
in doubt.
In response, it was mentioned that no any apparent case of conflict of interest
was registered since the moment when Ashot Voskanyan took the position of the
Governing Council member and actually this case could be ascribed to any of
the Governing Council members representing the civil society, that is why the
Stakeholders’ Committee will soon undertake the process of revising the
Stakeholders’ Committee Bylaws to prevent similar possible cases of conflict
of interest. In addition, further discussions and appropriate measures revealing
the possible situations that cause conflict of interest for Ashot Voskanyan
will be undertaken and if such cases will be found, limitations to Ashot Voskanyan’s
participation at the discussion and voting of the corresponding issues would
be imposed.
According to the members of the Stakeholder’s Committee no such cases
were registered and found. It was decided to develop a clear definition of the
‘conflict of interest’ term and appropriate procedures and mechanisms
to avoid such cases in future though up to now there is no progress - mere words.
It is worth to mention that SC discussions were accompanied by poor management/coordination
and as a result discussion of two points of the agenda were delayed since hour
and a half participants were not able to agree on the agenda.