Sergey Bagratyan's Wife Is Operating an Illegal Sand Mine: 'Hetq'

An illegal sand mine is being exploited in the village of Ranchpar in the Ararat province. 'Hetq' has discovered that the mining operation is conducted by a company owned by the wife of Sergey Bagratyan, a member of the National Assembly from the 'Civil Contract' faction. It is noted that no examinations were conducted prior to the exploitation of the mine, and no mining contract was signed. The subsoil, which is considered state property of Armenia, has been illegally mined for months. This continues even today.

Since the beginning of 2023, sand extraction has been taking place at the beginning of the road from Ranchpar to Araks, in an area bordered by the banks of the Kasakh River. Satellite images show that mining has been occurring at least since April 2023. According to data from the Cadastre Committee, the land parcel's owner is Housik Baghdasaryan. There was a fish farming business operating in the area, which has not been used for its intended purpose for many years. In 2022, a 64-hectare area was registered under the name of 'Ararak' LLC with rental rights.

According to the registry of legal entities, this company was established in June 2022 by the wife of MP Sergey Bagratyan, Naira Hakobyan. She owns 100% of the company's shares. During a visit to Ranchpar, 'Hetq' observed that sand extraction was indeed ongoing. Trucks loaded with sand were leaving the mine, and equipment for sorting sand and elevators were operating in the area. A substation had been installed in the area for the electrical supply of the equipment.

Before starting mining, the initiator is required to apply to the Ministry of Environment for a mining development expert examination. Following this, public hearings must be held in the community. After the study of the mine's reserves, another expert examination must be conducted, and following a positive conclusion, the operator is granted a mining permit (subsoil usage right). On the official website of the Ministry of Environment, there is neither a draft nor a conclusion regarding the expert examination in the name of 'Ararak' LLC. The official website of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure publishes a list of companies that have received mining permits, and 'Ararak' LLC is not mentioned in that list. Notably, the State Revenue Committee has discovered that 'Ararak' LLC has transported products without appropriate accounting documents.

'Hetq' tried to clarify with the administrative head of the Ranchpar community, Vahan Vardanyan, how a sand mine operates in their community without expert examinations and mining rights. The administrative head stated that no public hearings had been conducted in the community, there is no mining permit, and that if sand has been extracted, it was only by a few trucks. He assured that documents regarding the sand extraction had been prepared multiple times and submitted to the Masis municipality.

When asked if he knew that the mine belongs to MP Sergey Bagratyan, the administrative head of Ranchpar replied that he had heard rumors that the mine belonged to the MP, among others. In order to obtain clarifications, 'Hetq' contacted MP Sergey Bagratyan, requesting answers to two questions: why is the company owned by your family member engaged in illegal mining without environmental impact examinations and mining permissions? Why did you and your family member not include the data about being shareholders of 'Ararak' LLC in the 2022 asset and income declarations?

In response, Sergey Bagratyan suggested that questions regarding sand extraction should be directed to the management of the company owned by his wife. Regarding the question of not declaring the shares, the MP stated that this data should be included in the 2023 declaration. However, 'Ararak' LLC was founded by the MP's wife in July 2022, and she was obliged to disclose this in the 2022 declaration, which she failed to do.