Diana Gasparyan Addresses Permission for Gas Station Construction by Council Member's Father

For the past two days, our "impartial" media outlets have published an article that, among other issues, has revealed a scandalous crime attributed to me—the granting of permission for the construction of a gas station by the father of one of the council members. This was stated by Echmiadzin Mayor Diana Gasparyan on her Facebook page.

She specifically noted: "This news is being disseminated with great enthusiasm by a few 'honorable revolutionaries,' trying to save the revolution from my satanic clutches. They have delved so deep that they even attribute 50% share of this business to me.

Thus, I find it necessary to provide my fellow citizens with several clarifications (it's lengthy, but I kindly ask that you read):

• The land on which the project is to be carried out was acquired not from the community but from a private individual.
• Currently, only an architectural plot assignment has been granted to the aforementioned company; this is not yet a construction permit. A construction permit can only be granted in case of a change in the land category.
• The change in land category is implemented by the relevant interdepartmental commission, followed by a new decision by the community council.
• For the change in land category and the subsequent construction of the gas station, approval is necessary from at least four state agencies, including ministries (the community's role in this process is minimal).
• In case of a change in land category, approximately 14 million drams will need to be paid to the community budget.
• A construction permit for the gas station will only be granted after the complete conclusion of this entire process, and if the proposed project is realized, in addition to the aforementioned 14 million drams paid to the community budget, significant investments will be made with around 50 jobs created in the city.

As you can see, granting permission for the construction of a gas station requires a lengthy process involving many state agencies; the community's powers here are negligible. Additionally, especially in light of the economic situation caused by the pandemic, any investment that contributes to the community budget is welcomed.

Finally, I would like to add that a few days ago, I also granted permission for the construction of another gas station, but writing about that is not advantageous because there is no intrigue in it.

Moreover, the reasons for raising this uproar are clear to some; the owners have long wished to construct a gas station, but because their project did not comply with the necessary urban planning norms, it was rejected.

There are no privileges for anyone; there are no patrons. Therefore, especially under these economic conditions, if you have projects and ideas that do not contradict the law, you can apply to the mayor's office without hesitation and receive our support.

P.S. I recommend deleting posts attributing me a 50% share in that future gas station; otherwise, I will have to seek judicial protection of my rights.