How the Funds Raised by the 'Armenia' Pan-Armenian Foundation Were Spent

The Armenian National Assembly's committee investigating the use of funds raised by the 'Armenia' Pan-Armenian Foundation held its fourth meeting on January 12, chaired by committee president Artavazd Minasyan. The committee aims to examine the expenditure of the funds collected by the foundation and determine whether they contributed to overcoming the challenges posed by the situation created during and after the 44-day war.

This was reported by the National Assembly's website. During the meeting, the committee invited Zaruhi Batoyan, who served as the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia during that period, until November 20, 2020. The ministry primarily focused on coordination efforts during this time.

Approximately 90,000 Artsakh residents received referrals for healthcare services and humanitarian assistance programs. The ministry also addressed issues concerning their housing. All initiatives were implemented using resources from the private sector and various charitable organizations, emphasized Zaruhi Batoyan, adding that there was no financial support from the 'Armenia' Pan-Armenian Foundation for these implementations.

Providing additional details, the former minister noted that the foundation's support began in October. The funds were specifically directed toward the acquisition of ambulances and addressing urgent healthcare issues. Later, the ministry utilized the 'Armenia' Pan-Armenian Foundation's resources for organizing funerals and acquiring burial sites, as well as providing financial assistance to beneficiary families in Armenia under the 'Welcoming Families' program.

Committee members directed questions to Zaruhi Batoyan regarding the timelines for program implementations and the distribution of expenditures. Following a proposal from Artavazd Minasyan, the legislators authorized MP Hovik Agazaryan to investigate the available data within the ministry regarding specific programs and present documented findings to the committee.