Criminal Proceedings Initiated Against Former Mayor of Gyumri

V.G. (Vardan Ghukasian) served as the head of the Gyumri municipal community from November 24, 1999, to 2012, during which time he illegally legitimized fifteen land plots in Gyumri and damaged constructions classified as historical and cultural monuments.

The Prosecutor's Office reports that V.G. specifically illegally legitimized five land plots totaling 0.48743 hectares located in the central park of Gyumri. Additionally, V.G. illegally legitimized a land plot of 655.0 square meters, two land plots of 610.0 square meters belonging to a former military sovkhoz, a building recognized as a historical and cultural monument, and a land plot of 930.0 square meters that is communal property.

Part of these real properties was sold to himself, while another part was transferred to “Anberd” LLC, in which V.G. and his brother G.G. were equal shareholders. The remaining part was sold directly in 2006 to A.M., the director of the “Alexandrapol” hotel, who had close connections with V.G.’s family. In 2009, A.M. transferred the indicated land plot to H.G. under a sale contract, and in 2013, H.G. returned the land plot to V.G. under a gratuitous usage agreement. Subsequently, in 2014, H.G. gifted the land plot to V.G.'s close associate S.Z., who then transferred it to V.G.’s son S.G. in 2017 through a donation agreement.

Furthermore, there is substantial evidence that V.G. caused damage to a historical and cultural monument. Considering that the recorded facts indicate instances of legitimizing particularly large amounts of income (money laundering) and damaging a cultural monument, a criminal case has been initiated at the Shirak regional investigative department of the Investigative Committee based on Article 190, Part 3, Clause 3 of the Criminal Code adopted on April 18, 2003, which corresponds to Article 296, Part 3, Clause 3 of the Criminal Code that went into effect on July 1, 2022, and Article 264, Part 1 of the Criminal Code adopted on April 18, 2003, which corresponds to Article 301, Part 1 of the Criminal Code that went into effect on July 1, 2022.

By order of the supervising prosecutor, public criminal proceedings were initiated against V.G. on December 19, 2022, and the decision was sent to the Shirak regional investigative department of the Investigative Committee for indictment and to choose a measure of restraint.