Police Continue Verification Activities Regarding Minister's 'Voyages'

The newspaper ‘Joghouvout’ reports: Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan does not hide that she has used and will continue to use the helicopter services of air ambulance. When asked by ‘Joghouvout’ about the urgency of traveling to Syunik and Tavush via air ambulance, especially since she is not a doctor and cannot provide immediate medical assistance to citizens in life-threatening situations, Avanesyan responded with noticeable indignation: 'Yes, I have utilized the air ambulance, and if the need arises in the future, I will use all necessary and available means to respond quickly to urgent matters. There is nothing extraordinary in this regard.'

When asked whether the police or other law enforcement agencies have directed questions or requested documents from the minister or the ministry concerning the case, Avanesyan gave an exclusive denial.

To reiterate, the Prosecutor General's Office had assigned the study of the minister's actions to the Criminal Police, specifically the 6th Division. However, according to ‘Joghouvout’, the police continue verification activities concerning the minister's 'voyages'. Law enforcement is demanding certain documents from the ministry, including justification for when it is permissible to use the air ambulance.

By the way, Health Minister Arsen Torosyan also addressed this issue, specifying point by point the urgent situations where utilizing a helicopter is permissible, including severe cranial and spinal injuries with traumatic shock, polytraumas with combined injuries of large bones or internal organs, exogenous poisonings (from animal bites, medications, or chemicals), burns of the 3rd and 4th degrees accompanied by burn disease, and diseases accompanied by infectious toxic shock. The program also applies to pregnant women in severe conditions who need to be rapidly transferred to Yerevan's third-level facilities for delivery.

The minister's operation to move from point 'A' to 'B' seemingly did not fall within that category of urgency. Our well-informed sources in the police indicate that no matter how much law enforcement investigates the incident and requests evidence from the Ministry of Health, the case will ultimately be dismissed; the political directive is such.

For further details, refer to today’s issue of the newspaper.