Three Individuals Involved in the North-South Project Case Declared Wanted

The investigation into the criminal case regarding apparent abuses during the development and implementation of the "North-South Road Corridor" project continues at the main forensic investigation department of the RA Investigative Committee.

Within the framework of the preliminary investigation, through extensive investigative actions conducted by employees of the RA Investigative Committee in cooperation with the General Prosecutor's Office and the National Security Service, information has been obtained regarding a clearly established criminal scheme related to the selection of subcontractor organizations during the implementation of the project.

Specifically, it has been established that although the selection of subcontractor organizations should have been conducted by the main contractor, a Spanish organization, with the consent of the project engineers and the relevant officials of the RA Ministry of Transport and Communication, these processes were actually managed by the RA special envoy, Lyova Sargsyan, the brother of the third president of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan. He organized and conducted these processes in cooperation with the owners of "POLITRANSPOART" LLC, Suren and Gevorg Vardanyan, who acted as subcontractors in the project.

It was revealed that Lyova Sargsyan, due to his position and connections, had a significant influence in the selection and involvement of subcontractor companies wishing to perform construction works and provide services valued at 250 million USD in the project. In collaboration with the mentioned individuals and based on a preliminary agreement, he used his actual influence for the benefit of the legal entity, facilitating actions by officials within the scope of their authority for patronage, for which he demanded 50% of the expected profit from the director of one of the companies through an intermediary, the receipt of which was organized through money laundering.

Based on sufficient evidence obtained during the investigation, a decision has been made to involve Lyova Sargsyan as a defendant under Article 190, Part 3, Point 1 and Article 311.2, Part 4, Point 2 of the RA Criminal Code. He has been declared wanted, and a motion has been filed with the court to choose detention as a measure of restraint against him.

Suren and Gevorg Vardanyan have been involved as defendants under Article 38-189, Part 3, Article 190, Part 3, Point 1, Article 38-205, Part 2, and Article 311.2, Part 4, Point 2 of the RA Criminal Code. They have also been declared wanted, with detention selected as a measure of restraint.

The investigation continues with extensive investigative and procedural actions aimed at uncovering all circumstances of the abuses committed during the execution of the project, determining the complete circle of involved persons, and bringing them to criminal responsibility.

Note: A suspect or accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the procedure established by the RA Criminal Procedure Code by a legally binding court decision.