For years on end, it has been the custom of local community leaders to rack up debts and then take flight, leaving the burden of responsibility on their hapless successors. In the 2008 local self-government elections, 104 community mayoralties were contested out of 119 communities in Shirak Marz. As a result of the elections results, some 28 communities witnessed a change in leadership. “If we take a good hard look, it is the taxpayer who suffers; especially the rural resident. There is no real penalty when community leaders fail to collect the required amount of taxes,” says Shirak Regional Administration Finance Department head Hovsep Simonyan. He cites the example of the former mayor of the community of Azatan who accumulated some 21 million AMD in municipal debt. Then there is the mayor of Akhourik who left some 18 million in debt to his successor or the 24 million debt passed on in Metz Sepasar. It will be up to the newly elected leaders in these and other communities to collect enough in taxes to pay off the liabilities. A new mayor was also elected in the community of Saratag in 2008. Former mayor Rostom Manoukyan, the brother of former regional administrator Romik Manoukyan, left 13 million in debt to Misha Ghrzoyan and took all the accounting paperwork with him as well for the 6 years he was in office, including project expenditure statements. Current Mayor Misha Ghrzoyan complains that, “Now the regional administration is demanding the financial statements for projects undertaken during those 6 years. But there is nothing here to show.” Municipal accountant Silva Hakobyan backs up the mayor’s statement, pointing out that whatever figures they had were taken by the regional administration. A water pipe had been constructed during the six year tenure of Rostom Manoukyan at a cost of 700,000 AMD. An equal amount was allocated for road repair work as well, and 400,000 went to repairs of the community health clinic. “I am at a loss to say what really was accomplished with the money. All I can point to is a cheap door that was hung at the clinic located on the first floor of the municipality building. We also come across an expenditure of 40 million in the books but it beats me where the funds went to. All in all, the finances are in a mess,” Mrs. Hakobyan says. “Where did the 40 million go?” Mayor Ghrzoyan is also baffled. The 40 million was specifically earmarked for a educational facility; or some type of musical, sport and art school. “True, I inherited the job. But I wasn’t the one who OK’d the expenditures. Thus, I can’t say where the 40 million was spent. All I know is that at least one school could have been built for that amount,” Misha Ghrzoyan states. The former mayor has become the owner of the old collective storage building that was sold off at auction for 80,000 AMD. “That building is at least worth $10,000. About 2-3 years ago I found out that the place was up for auction and I decided to participate. Would you believe it? I bought the place for 20,000 AMD. Later that same evening I got a call from the former head of the Compulsory Enforcement Service who requested that he return my check otherwise they’d fire him,” recounts Mayor Ghrzoyan. His auction receipt was returned and the transaction was nullified. The building later went on auction again and this time it was purchased by former Mayor Rostom Manoukyan for 80,000 AMD. An employee at the Regional Administration commented that Saratak residents are quite a thankless lot since they don’t appreciate anything that former Regional Administrator Romik Manoukyan did for the community where he was born. In Saratak, where half the residents are relatives of the Manoukyan brothers, would appear to differ, otherwise they wouldn’t have voted in Misha Ghrzoyan during the 2008 municipal elections. This was the response of most Saratak residents “Hetq” spoke to in the village. From November, 2008, till September 1, 2009, the Saratak Municipality was able to collect 7.7 million of a 13 million AMD loan. Half the village is heavily in debt. For example, Hovhannes Ayvazyan hasn’t paid his land taxes since 1998. With penalties and interest, the balance has grown to 1 million AMD and now Mr. Ayvazyan refuses to pay at all. The mayor, having no other recourse, threatened to take him to court and the man said, fine. Over the phone, Hovhannes Ayvazyan told us that the former community leaders were to blame. “They are the ones at fault for my being so deep in debt today,” he argued. “Even if I wanted to pay, where will I get that kind of money? Let them make some kind of an offer otherwise I’ll complain to the regional administration. Let them come and check if I actually owe all that. I won’t pay. Let Ghrzoyan take me to court.” The pride of Saratak is the village school, also attended by children from the neighboring community of Lousakert. The kindergarten also accommodates 42 youngsters, allowing their parents to work in the fields and perform other agricultural endeavors. Public works program helps some This year, 25 local families were given the opportunity to participate in the “Public Works for Pay” program, for which they received monthly wages of 45,000 AMD. The program tackled the village’s drinking water problem and solved it. Resident Karapet Minasyan worked on the water project and had no complaints. “The job lasted one month and they paid me 2,200 AMD daily. For that one month 25 men from the village had work. We did a good job and we now have water to drink from the faucet. Imagine, for the past 15 years we had to carry water from the well back home,” Mr. Minasyan recounted. We were told at the municipality that the “Public Works for Pay” program gave a 1.5 million grant to the village and that the municipality also kicked in 1.115 of its own money. What remains is for the local roads to be repaired on the municipality’s paltry budget. In addition to paying off the municipal debt, Mayor Ghrzoyan is attempting to carry out some visible public work projects of his own. For instance, the municipality has installed a system of local street lights at a cost of 1.3 million from its own budget. A general rule of thumb is that if the community mayor isn’t a go-getter then the community suffers as a result. Local leaders are changed only when the residents’ cup of patience has runneth over. If the former mayor remembers anything related to the time he was in office it is that he is owed some back pay. They told us at the regional administration that many’s the time when a community leader is voted out of office, only to turn up at their doorstep a week later with a petition for back pay owed. For example, there’s the case of the former mayor of Garnarij. He threatened to go to court over back pay owed him. The case never made it to the courts however. He went to his successor and demanded the money. He got 300,000 for his troubles.