MP Sergey Bagratyan's Wife Illegally Exploiting Sand Mine: 'Hetq'

In the village of Ranchpar, Ararat Province, an illegal sand mining operation is underway. The news outlet 'Hetq' reports that the company involved in the mining is owned by the wife of MP Sergey Bagratyan from the 'Civil Contract' party. No preliminary examinations were conducted before the exploitation of the site, nor has a mining contract been signed. The subsoil, which is considered the property of Armenia, has been unlawfully extracted for several months, with this activity continuing to date.

Sand extraction has been taking place since the beginning of 2023 in an area located at the start of the road leading from Ranchpar village to Araks village, adjacent to the banks of the Kasakh River. Satellite imagery indicates that mining has been occurring at least since April 2023.

According to the Cadastre Committee, the land plot belongs to Housik Baghdasaryan. This area previously housed a fish farming business but has not been purposefully utilized for many years. In 2022, the 64-hectare area was recorded under lease rights for 'Ararak' LLC.

Records from the State Register of Legal Entities show that this company was established in June 2022 by Naïra Hakobyan, the wife of MP Sergey Bagratyan. She holds 100% of the shares of the LLC.

During a visit to Ranchpar village by the news outlet, it was observed that sand extraction was occurring. Trucks loaded with sand were leaving the mining site, and sand sorting equipment and elevators were operational in the area. An electrical substation has been installed for powering the equipment.

Before starting mining operations, the initiator is obliged to apply to the Ministry of Environment for a mining project to undergo an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Following that, public hearings must be conducted in the community. After studying the reserves of the mine, another EIA must be carried out, and only after a positive conclusion is the operator granted extraction permission (underground resource use rights).

There is no mention of an EIA project or conclusion under the name 'Ararak' LLC on the official website of the Ministry of Environment. The official website of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure publishes a list of companies that have received mining permits, but 'Ararak' LLC is not included in that list. Notably, the State Revenue Committee has identified that 'Ararak' LLC has transferred goods without the necessary accounting documents.

When inquiring with Vahan Vardanyan, the administrative head of the Ranchpar locality, about how a sand mine is operating in their community without EIA assessments and underground resource use rights, he stated that no public hearings have been held, there is no mining permit, and if sand has been extracted, it has only been done with a few trucks. The administrative head confirmed that several protocols regarding sand extraction have been prepared and submitted to the Masis community administration.

Regarding whether he is aware that the mine belongs to MP Sergey Bagratyan, the administrative head of Ranchpar responded that he has heard rumors that the mine also belongs to the MP among others.

MP Sergey Bagratyan's response to questions about why a company owned by his family member is engaging in illegal mining without EIA assessments and extraction permits was to suggest that questions regarding sand extraction should be directed to the management of the company owned by his wife. As for why he and his family member did not declare the information about being shareholders of 'Ararak' LLC in the 2022 income and asset declarations, Bagratyan stated that this information should be declared in the 2023 filing. However, 'Ararak' LLC was established by the MP's wife in July 2022, and she was obligated to disclose this in the 2022 declaration, which she did not do.