Transparent civil service recruitment promoted in Armenia by OSCE Office

YEREVAN, 26 November 2008 - Members of civil service recruitment monitoring and assessment commissions that took part in a training course as part of the OSCE Office's Good Governance programme were awarded certificates in Yerevan today. 

The course was organized together with the NGO Union of Government Employees under the patronage of the Armenian Civil Service Council. It was designed to further improve the civil service recruitment system and make it more transparent, and the commissioners more independent.

"Effective public administration depends on the skilful and transparent work of the monitors and civil servants. We believe that the training of the commission members will contribute to their fair and transparent work and make the civil service system more efficient," said Ambassador Sergey Kapinos, the Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

Local public administration experts delivered lectures for commissioners on a range of topics, including conflict of interest and income reporting, ethical norms and regulations in public administration and the work of the civil service assessment committees.

Manvel Badalyan, the Chairman of the Civil Service Council of Armenia, added: "Collaboration with civil society organizations supported by the OSCE Office will promote a more professional oversight of civil service competitions and assessment. We also call upon media representatives to highlight the competition and assessment procedures more actively to stimulate our conscious and sound public activity."`

Vache Kalashyan, the Chairman of the Union of Government Employees, said: "This is the first time civil society representatives have been involved in such an assessment process and we anticipate that they will use this practice regularly." He emphasized the importance of civil society oversight in increasing public trust toward the civil service system.