Another Case of Abuse of Office Powers by Officials Disclosed

The National Security Service of Armenia's Aragatsotn regional department has conducted extensive operational and investigative measures, resulting in factual evidence that the head of the consolidated community of Aragatsavan, along with individuals performing special state services, failed to carry out their official duties. This negligence stemmed from profit-oriented and personal interests.

Despite being fully aware of illegal subsoil exploitation and entrepreneurial activities occurring within the community's administrative territory, they did not take any measures to prevent, suspend, eliminate the illegal land use, or investigate the incidents and hold accountable those who committed crimes. Under these circumstances, several residents of the Aragatsavan community, with the support of officials and a unified intent, engaged in illegal extraction of subsoil resources from 2017 until November 16, 2021, without the necessary exploitation licenses, contracts, or changing the functional designation of land.

As a result, approximately 754,000 kg of obsidian-type mineral has been illegally extracted. Furthermore, due to the illegal entrepreneurial activities, the state has not received significant payments in taxes and other mandatory charges, totaling 156,424,708 Armenian Drams. In connection with this case, the investigative department of the National Security Service has initiated a criminal case under the relevant articles of the Armenian Criminal Code, which has been forwarded to the Anti-Corruption Committee for further investigation.