I Am the Author of Those Orders, and It Is Very Strange That the Aims of Those Orders Are Not Interesting: Torosyan

It is very difficult to imagine peace without addressing the rights and security of our compatriots in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, said Arsen Torosyan, a member of the Civil Contract faction, in an interview with Liberty.

The former Minister of Health also addressed the alleged abuses related to Covid and other issues. Here is an excerpt from the press conference:

“I don’t know whether I will go {to the interrogation}, I have not received a notification until now surprisingly, and I expressed this willingness not publicly since last autumn and have not been questioned,” said Arsen Torosyan, a member of the Civil Contract faction, referring to the sensational case of alleged abuses during the Covid period. According to this case, 120 million drams were embezzled from the state budget.

“I am the author of those orders, and it is very strange that the aims of those orders are not interesting. If there is evidence that any dram has been embezzled from the state, I will be the first to condemn all of it. Control in healthcare takes place post-factum; if audits reveal that someone misrepresented the figures and received more money from the state, they either restore the funds to the budget if there is no intent, or if there is, there is criminal liability,” stated the former minister of health.

Currently, only the director of Medline Clinic is detained in connection with the sensational case of alleged abuses during Covid. The only official accused in this case, former Deputy Minister of Health Gevorg Simonian, was released from custody, while the detention of the hospital director was extended for another two months.

According to the former minister, these accusations have been made because, “We have a corruption problem at the systemic level; we need to show how independent we are, etc. I have not seen any evidence underlying the accusations.” Earlier, Torosyan wrote regarding this case: “The two years of hard work of an entire system, during which tens of thousands of patients received treatment and the overwhelming majority were saved, will cost our country dearly due to these fictitious accusations.” He also emphasized that he is ready to provide testimony in this case at any moment.