Minister Instructed to Provide Uniforms to Oligarchs' Bodyguards: Gagik Melkonyan on March 1 Events

According to the "Hayastani Zhamanak" newspaper, it has come to light that Gagik Melkonyan, the Deputy Minister of Defense of Armenia, has been questioned as a witness in connection with the events of March 1. During his testimony, he discussed providing military uniforms to the bodyguards of several parliament members during the incidents of March 1.

Details of this questioning have been disclosed to the "Hayastani Zhamanak" newspaper.

Question: During the investigation, information was received that on March 1, 2008, military uniforms were provided to the bodyguards of several members of the National Assembly. This was mentioned in the report of the investigative group studying the March 1 events, which included a document titled 'Inventory of Material Property Distributed on 01-02.03.2008.' You served as the Deputy Minister of Defense regarding logistics in 2008. I present to you the specified list and suggest you provide any information you have regarding the items listed, the batches of military uniforms, the person who issued the order for distribution, the officers carrying out the order, and other details.

Response: I am familiar with the inventory list presented to me; it is a document I recognized. I first saw this list in early April 2008 when I had been discharged from the hospital and returned to work. At that time, the same list was presented to me by Vardan Poghosyan, the Deputy Head of the Material Service of the Ministry of Defense. I should note that while I was still recovering in the hospital, Vardan Poghosyan contacted me and reported that a verbal order had been issued by the Minister of Defense Mikael Harutyunyan to provide military uniforms to the members of the parliament's security teams. I could not object because, according to military protocol, orders from superiors are not subject to discussion. Accepting this as information, I told Vardan to proceed. Vardan executed the order, distributed the uniforms, and created the specified list of who received what quantity and type of uniforms.

Details will be available in tomorrow's issue of the "Hayastani Zhamanak" newspaper.