Deputy Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister's Office Linked to Active State Procurement Participation

Deputy Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister Bagrat Badalyan, along with his wife, purchased a house in the city of Marysville, United States. According to the official's declaration, the transaction took place in May 2021, and the property's value was $584,950. This information is reported by Hetq.

The media outlet specifically notes: "Badalyan's income has increased significantly during his time in public office. In particular, he owns an 88.13% stake in 'Janakhagits Institute' LLC. This company is actively involved in state procurement, especially in the road construction sector."

Since Badalyan became a shareholder of 'Janakhagits Institute' LLC on April 16, 2020, state bodies and communities have signed public procurement contracts with the company amounting to a total of 1 billion 79 million 465 thousand drams. For comparison, before Badalyan became a shareholder in the LLC, from January 1, 2019, to April 15, 2020, only one public procurement contract was signed with 'Janakhagits Institute' LLC, worth 431 thousand drams. In 2018, three contracts were signed for a total of 11 million 949 thousand drams.

Badalyan's career in high positions began after the regime change in 2018. In June 2018, he was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies, and a year later, as the Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure. In February 2020, he became an advisor to then-Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan, and months later became the head of Avinyan's office. In August 2021, he was appointed as an advisor to the head of the State Revenue Committee and, two months later, as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister's Office.

Badalyan acquired his stake in 'Janakhagits Institute' LLC on April 16, 2020, while he was serving as an advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister. His father, Samvel Badalyan, according to state registry data, held the position of director at 'Janakhagits Institute' LLC from 2003 until April 6, 2020. During that time, with some interruptions, the company's deputy director was his son, Bagrat Badalyan, who held that position from 2007 to 2010 and 2015 to 2018, until he was appointed as a deputy minister.

Badalyan also owns 'Dorznak' LLC, which operates in the construction sector. According to data published on the Ministry of Finance's centralized public procurement website, armeps.am, from April 16 to December 31, 2020, 'Janakhagits Institute' LLC signed five contracts for project preparation and cost assessment, as well as author supervision and design-preliminary estimate documentation. Four of these contracts were signed with the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, and one with the mayor's office of Vayk. The total value of these five contracts amounted to about 253 million 765 thousand drams.

In 2021, 25 public procurement contracts were signed with the involvement of 'Janakhagits Institute' LLC, 23 of which were with the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, one with the 'Armenian Territorial Development Fund,' and another with the mayor’s office of Noyemberyan. The total value of these 25 contracts is approximately 603 million 540 thousand drams.

From January 1 to July 19, 2022, nine contracts were signed, all with the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, with a total value of about 222 million 160 thousand drams.

It turns out that after Bagrat Badalyan became a shareholder of 'Janakhagits Institute' LLC on April 16, 2020, state bodies and communities signed public procurement contracts with the company totaling 1 billion 79 million 465 thousand drams. For comparison, before he became a shareholder, from January 1, 2019, to April 15, 2020, only one contract was signed with a value of 431 thousand drams.

As a senior official, Bagrat Badalyan submitted a declaration of assets, incomes, and interests to the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption. According to this declaration, the Deputy Chief of Staff's income in 2021 amounted to approximately 66 million 71 thousand drams and $17,050. Of this income, 52 million drams were received as a loan from 'Janakhagits Institute' LLC.

Bagrat Badalyan declared $40,000 in cash, while the amount of non-cash funds totaled 639 thousand drams, 346 thousand 762 dollars, and 15 thousand 157 euros. He also has bank deposits of $300,000 and €100,000.

The official declared only two vehicles: a 1982 model 'Vaz' and a 'Gaz' car, which he inherited. He owns five real estate properties: three residential areas, one of which is the house bought in the U.S. in 2021, and two land parcels in Tsaghkadzor and Garni communities. Regarding his expenses, Badalyan made a substantial expense of 13 million 260 thousand drams in 2021, of which 7 million drams were for recreational purposes and 6 million 260 thousand drams for real estate renovations.

According to the 2020 declaration, Badalyan inherited a significant sum from his father: 231 million 526 thousand drams, 503 thousand 863 dollars, and 100 thousand 155 euros. The share of 'Janakhagits Institute' LLC amounted to 143 million 176 thousand drams,” reports Hetq.