A few days ago, Hetq reported on the formation of a top-level state committee tasked with dealing with conflicts of interest and ethical matters within the RA government.

President Serzh Sargsyan announced the launch of the new committee and appointed a number of “unknown” individuals as members; that’s to say the public at large is not familiar with the members.

The newly appointed committee president will receive a monthly salary of 680,000 AMD and members 600,000.

The committee will allegedly look into the business/income dealings of some 500 top government officials.

Hetq would like to call the attention of the committee to a gross conflict of interest that has gone neglected to date.

According to filed revenue statements, Environmental Minister Aram Harutyunyan is the richest of all government ministers.

In 2009, Minister Harutyunyan reported revenues of 131.6 million AMD. In 2010, the figure reported was 103.2 million.

A company owned by the minister is the main contractor building and repairing roads in Yeghvard.

Not surprisingly, the minister, a member of the ruling Republican Party, was born in Yeghvard.

This is an outright conflict of interest that the government has neglected for years.

Then there’s the government’s 31 million AMD contract to clean up the Nubarashen toxic dump.

Minster Harutyunyan “conveniently” granted the planning contract to Hanardnakhagitz, and the actual work contract to Nairishin - two companies in which has a majority stake.

Minister Harutyunyan also has a 70% share in the Hayinkomspasarkum company headquarter in Yeghvard.

Will the newly formed ethics committee actually look into these instances of conflict of interest?

If the committee is serious about fulfilling its responsibilities and garnering the public trust, there is no better place to start than at the top.