The issue of big bonuses and salaries in the "revolutionary" personnel arsenal has always been a problem for society. Let's leave aside the fact that they were adopted by law or by secret order; that is another matter of conversation.
In our country, which has an alarming rate of poverty and unemployment, such rewards are an exaggeration in terms of both social justice and simple logic, and therefore raise many questions. Due to the coronavirus epidemic, these issues have started to be perceived more sharply by the public and have become a topic of wide discussion. The problem can be considered in terms of ethics and expediency.
The ethical dimension of the issue is mainly discussed in public debates. The "revolutionary" team that came to power with revolutionary rhetoric and and pledges of high service to the people seems to have changed the tone, believing that in addition to serving the people, each person has his own family and household problems, and to dedicate himself to "serving the people" he must do his best to satisfy his immediate needs.
Critics say it is unfair that the salaries of high-ranking officials, not to mention bonuses and supplements, are several times higher than the salaries of teachers, scientists, health workers and middle-class people. As for the bonuses, they should be given to the most efficient employees selectively, not indiscriminately. There are opinions that many bonuses, especially in the case of parliamentary deputies, are given for political loyalty, as the possibility of the existence of the current government depends on them in general.
However, these are the moral considerations of the issue; as it was said, there is also the factor of expediency of bonuses, which, as a rule, is not discussed on public platforms, but both the Prime Minister and those who receive the actual bonuses raise their voices about it. Let's focus on that side of the issue.
In public administration systems, the issue of salaries and possible income of civil servants, and especially of the leadership, is one of the most important. It depends not only on the budget, but also on expediency, worldview, ethics and, above all, effective governance. It is clear that the wage rates in that system are determined by laws and government decisions, and the possibilities of individual approach are limited here.
Still there are "irreplaceable" people with great potential and creative abilities, in front of whom there are no closed roads. On the other hand, civil servants must be provided with a certain amount of restraint in order not to be tempted to use the levers of corruption.
These have been particularly serious barriers to development for countries in crisis, such as post-war Germany and Japan, which were defeated and completely devastated by war, so the proper organization of the governing system was vital to the recovery of those countries.
And in those countries, unique solutions to encourage high-ranking officials and the best professionals, to reward them for their work, have been applied, in order to be fair to both the public and the effective work of the government. Both countries focused on doing business, as well as creating a protected and developed national industry. A flexible balance of mutually beneficial cooperation has been established between the public administration system and business corporations.
If, for example, a minister was able to effectively establish his spheres, including in the private sector, then, as an incentive, he would move to the private sector after public service, holding a high-paying position. This was one of the ways to evaluate their work, which at the same time opened up new opportunities for the use of the skills of professional managers and freed the state budget from unnecessary expenses, creating good conditions for the convergence and cooperation of business and the state apparatus. This not only stimulated the effective work of state officials in their positions, but also solved moral and ethical issues.
These are a few examples which are not being applied in Armenia, which however might be considered for the better organization of public life into the future.