What Did the Prosecutor's Office and Yerevan Municipality Hide from the Findings of the Donations Case

Ani Samsonyan, a member of the "Enlightened Armenia" faction in the National Assembly, has made a statement presenting evidence that the Prosecutor's Office and the Yerevan Municipality left out certain findings from their examination of donations made to the community of Yerevan.

"Dear colleagues, as you know, a parliamentary investigative committee was to be established this year to address the donations made to the Yerevan community. However, it was thwarted due to a political decision by the government and the efforts of the 'My Step' faction. On the same day, coincidentally, a report was also published by the Yerevan Municipality and the Prosecutor's Office regarding this case, which stated the following: 'The examination of documents revealed that the aforementioned processes were generally carried out in compliance with legislative requirements, and no violations were found.' This half-truth or preferred segment of information from the government has been presented to the public for several days.

After the above statement, the report contains facts that have been concealed from the press, citizens, and all of us by both the Yerevan Municipality and the Prosecutor's Office. In particular, it also states: 'Nevertheless, the investigation has shown that the transactions regarding the donations were concluded during or immediately after the aforementioned administrative-legal processes, creating a public perception of their interconnectedness and mutual arrangements, which is also supported by several facts uncovered during the investigation. For example, the investigation revealed that on October 29, 2019, 'N and S Construction' LLC submitted a request to the Yerevan Municipality to approve project documents and grant a construction permit. Despite not yet having received the permit, the company began construction, which was identified by the Yerevan Municipality's department on November 19, 2019. On the same day, the Yerevan Municipality accepted 9 transport vehicles as part of a donation agreement with 'N and S Construction' LLC. Days later, on November 25, 2019, the company was granted a construction permit. On December 5, 2019, the Yerevan Municipality accepted another vehicle as a donation. On December 24, 2019, an administrative violation report was drafted; however, no one was held administratively responsible, given that the company had already been granted the construction permit.' We note that the donation agreement was signed between the parties back in August.

This part has essentially been omitted from the published examination, considering that it sheds light on the chronological connection between the transactions and the community's receipt of services, as well as the fact that the company carrying out illegal construction was not held accountable since it followed the process of accepting and transferring garbage trucks and the granting of the construction permit.

I should also mention that, based on our coordination of statistical data regarding the legalizations of unauthorized constructions by the Yerevan Municipality in recent years, we have registered that no other production unauthorized constructions belonging to Shogheryan Mkrtchyan, the wife of Samvel Aleksanyan (address: Ohanov 15/1, owned by 'Alex Holding'), with a total area of 5842 square meters, have been legalized.

It becomes apparent why the government decided that these issues should never become the subject of discussion for the investigative committee. Otherwise, more facts would be revealed that would be unfavorable to the current authorities. It was for this purpose that on the day of the committee's failure, Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan came to the National Assembly and pressured both the NA president and the political majority to retract their principles, positions, and decisions. We are convinced that this government and the law enforcement agency, which operates at the whim of the executive, lack the political will to expose all suspicious transactions fraught with corruption risks carried out by the Yerevan Municipality, and that burden will fall to the next administration."