Wanted Aram Harutyunyan Continues to Manage Formerly Privatized Hayardnakhadze Building

The newspaper "Hraparak" reports: Former Minister of Environment Aram Harutyunyan, known as Bulki Aram, who has been in hiding and wanted for three years, continues to manage the Hayardnakhadze building that he privatized in the past. This building has been provided for years to various state bodies, including the Ministry of Finance. In other words, the former minister, who is accused of receiving large bribes and money laundering, continues to earn money at the expense of the state.

We learned that the building, previously privatized from the state, is currently controlled by Aram Harutyunyan's brother, who has even caused some issues related to the parking of vehicles belonging to employees of other state organizations in the parking lot in front of the building.

Recently, we inquired with Arman Avetisyan, the chairman of the State Property Management Committee, about the situation regarding this building—who owns it and what its fate will be. "As far as I know, there has been no change in ownership. As for this matter, if I am not mistaken, a criminal case has also been initiated, meaning the issue is directed at them, not us," said Avetisyan.

We tried to clarify whether Aram Harutyunyan continues to manage the building. "As far as I know, it still belongs to a company related to them, but there are legal processes about which I cannot provide information right now," he stated.

However, why haven’t they been able to reclaim this building from Aram Harutyunyan, which was state property and seems to be the easiest and most prioritized item on the list of illegally acquired properties? For instance, they managed to reclaim the private hotel “Golden Palace” built by former customs chief Armen Avetisyan. Avetisyan found it difficult to respond to this question, noting that it pertains to legal issues.

We would like to remind Avetisyan that this issue is not so much a legal matter as it is a political one, meaning it falls within the jurisdiction of Nikol Pashinyan's decisions. He decides whose property to seize, whose to leave, whom to take back, and later sells to his close associates or allows to leave the country just hours before arrest—living freely abroad while supposedly wanted.

We have learned that all tenants of the building owned by Aram Harutyunyan continue to use the property and pay the contractual rents as stipulated, but the law enforcement agencies have placed a lien on that money, and transactions from the accounts are prohibited. However, it is not excluded that some of the tenants may also have cash dealings with the owner, which is outside the scope of law enforcement oversight.

For more details, see today's newspaper issue.