Video: Officials Illegally Alienated Adjacent Areas of the 'Megerian Free Economic Zone'

The Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Department of the RA Police has received information regarding abuses committed by the head of the Karchavan community and other officials during the process of establishing a free economic zone in the Syunik region in 2014.

The police reported that based on factual data obtained during the preparatory phase, it was established that in July 2014, the former president of the State Committee of Real Estate Cadastre, along with his deputy, the heads of the regional division of the State Committee for the Protection of Public Property, and the Megri servicing office, visited the Karchavan community in the Syunik region. Pointing to the areas adjacent to the 'Megerian Free Economic Zone' LLC, he informed the community leader that a free economic zone would be organized in that area based on a project initiated by the Prime Minister at the time. Acting beyond his official powers, he instructed the community leader on behalf of himself and the Prime Minister to initiate the process of alienating the mentioned areas to 'ESIY' LLC.

Following this, a representative from the same LLC visited the community leader to reach an agreement on purchasing the specified plots of land through auction, simultaneously indicating that he would also ensure the formal participation of another person in the auction.

Subsequently, the community leader organized an illegal process for alienating the mentioned lands through auction, motivated by personal interests to satisfy senior officials, introducing obviously false information into official documents, and creating fake official documents regarding an alleged council session and resolution, using the forged signature of one of the council members. Utilizing his official position contrary to the interests of service, he completed the alienation of a total of 32.00948 hectares of land designated for agricultural purposes to 'ESIY' LLC on August 6, 2014, for amounts of 1,540,000, 550,000, and 385,000 Armenian drams, causing significant damage to the Karchavan community.

Additionally, the community leader, already informed about the prospects of creating a free economic zone in the mentioned area, once again utilized his official position against the interests of service on July 12, 2016, to alienate 1.378 hectares of agricultural land adjacent to the 'Megerian Free Economic Zone' LLC to his son-in-law for 2,000,000 Armenian drams through formal auction.

Criminal proceedings have been initiated at the RA Police's Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Department based on apparent cases of abuse of official powers and official forgery under Parts 1 of Article 308 and Article 314 of the RA Criminal Code. The investigation is ongoing.