Zhamanak: The Charges Against Serzh Sargsyan May Spark Interesting 'Accounts' Among Different Branches of the Former System

Zhamanak newspaper writes: The Special Investigation Service has announced the indictment against former President Serzh Sargsyan, which, according to the announcement, is related to a program to supply agricultural enterprises with cheap diesel fuel during his presidency through state subsidies. According to the charges, Sargsyan chose the company 'Flash' as the fuel supplier, even though there was a cheaper offer available, which could have saved about half a billion drams.

The topic of the charges against Serzh Sargsyan was one of the publicly circulating issues or anonymous press publications after the revolution. Ultimately, after a year and a half, charges are being brought, but in a case that is perhaps very minor from the perspective of public perception concerning Sargsyan's activities. Moreover, the chosen measure of restraint is not imprisonment but rather a signature not to leave.

Nevertheless, this event is occurring in a very interesting internal political situation, where competition within the former ruling system is intensifying, as various factions position themselves in opposition to the new government. In this context, the theme of the charges is highly significant or symbolic. The fact is that this well-known diesel fuel process had become quite a scandalous story even during the time it was unfolding. Of course, the context of the uproar was different, and it was between the then National Assembly President Hovik Abrahamyan and Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, against whom Abrahamyan organized quite substantial attacks, being a target for placing Abrahamyan in the prime ministerial seat by the non-governmental faction.

Tigran Sargsyan, as part of his defensive strategy, publicly announced through the monitoring service of the Ministry of Finance that the Abrahamyan family, as major landowners, had received a large volume of subsidized diesel fuel. The Abrahamyans responded that they received it legally, but it is clear that everything was in order, so to speak, on paper, but not morally, because the large landowner family should hardly need subsidized diesel fuel, while many real needy individuals existed.

These seemingly 'past' layers will be touched upon during the investigation of the case now, as it is evident, directly or indirectly, that the discussion revolves around the half a billion drams that are dissolved within the former system. The question, of course, is not the amount of money, which is extremely small for the former ruling system. The issue is, undoubtedly, the nature of the case through which Serzh Sargsyan is presented—one which has interesting implications for different branches of the former system, potentially stimulating interesting 'accounts' among them.