Commission to Investigate Expenditures of the ‘Armenia’ Fund During War

How the funds collected by the ‘Armenia’ All-Armenian Fund have been spent is under investigation by a newly formed parliamentary commission. Arzvik Minasyan, the secretary of the ‘Armenia’ faction in the National Assembly, announced today that he will chair the commission.

“It should be noted that it is necessary to restore trust in this all-Armenian and important initiative appropriately. Our main task will be to uncover any irregularities or illegalities, hold those responsible accountable, recover the funds, and, most importantly, restore the confidence of the Armenian people in this important tool of the statehood of Armenia, Artsakh, and the Armenian nation,” Minasyan stated.

He expressed hope that members of the ‘Civil Contract’ faction will be guided by this spirit in the commission. “The examination will be objective, comprehensive, and thorough, and as a result of this investigation, all similar pressing issues will be raised,” the opposition lawmaker noted.

Nazeli Baghdasaryan, the secretary of the ‘Civil Contract’ faction, emphasized that any issue in the public domain must be investigated clearly and transparently. “We have sufficient political will to provide conclusive answers to any questions, but all this will be done without emotions and without political undertones. I can say that this commission should fully reflect the functions of an investigative committee,” she stated.

Baghdasaryan urged her opposition colleagues to refrain from political coloring. “Because if we enter that field, it may turn out that the same fund has wasted a lot of money in previous years and has been a conduit for the ‘leaks’ of many private companies,” added the secretary of the ‘Civil Contract’ faction.

A draft decision to determine the number of members of the investigative committee was put to a vote, receiving 83 votes in favor, 0 against, and 1 abstention. Thus, the decision was adopted. The commission, created by law, will consist of 11 members.