I Will Reveal the Truth So Everyone is Ashamed and Buries Themselves in the Ground': Gagik Tsarukyan

"I have not bribed anyone, no one can prove such a thing," said Gagik Tsarukyan, the leader of the Prosperous Armenia party, in court today. Earlier, the prosecutor read the charges against Tsarukyan, which allege that he organized the bribery of voters during the 2017 parliamentary elections. According to the charges, 171 million drams were given as electoral bribes in the Kotayk province for 17 thousand votes.

"It's an election; we all know that the money is supposed to be in the central office, whether it is for fuel, salaries, aid, gasoline, or rent," Tsarukyan stated.

He noted that 53,000 individuals have been interrogated in the case, and no one has claimed that Tsarukyan bribed them, but the investigators relied on the testimony of a single individual, Vazgen Poghosyan, and a document found in his organization. "You've caught someone, there is a crime. Prove it. You've questioned 53,000 people, detained one for a month, but in the end, there is nothing; you've thrown aside so many volumes, based on one Vazgen Poghosyan. If there is something, let the prosecutor say: 'Tsarukyan, here is Poghosyan saying that you gave him money.' Or 171 million. According to them, there should have been 117,000 votes, but we received 7,000 to 8,000 votes. What are we talking about? I will say even more; I will reveal the reality so that everyone is ashamed, bury themselves in the ground, because one cannot fabricate such a degree of falsehood against a complete person. I listen patiently, very calmly. It is unacceptable; it is a bit shameful. I have many things to say, but powerful people are always restrained and respectful within bounds," Tsarukyan said.