Corruption Prevention Commission to Initiate Proceedings Against Council Members Holding Public Office

The newspaper "Zhoghovurd" reports that the Corruption Prevention Commission is set to initiate proceedings against five council members who also hold public office in contradiction to the rules of incompatibility.

According to the newspaper, several members of the Yerevan City Council from the "Civil Contract" party group occupy positions that are incompatible with their council member roles. For instance, council member Vladimir Kirakosyan is also the head of the Forest Committee, Natalia Sinyoryan was an assistant to the leader of the RA National Assembly's "Civil Contract" faction, Hayk Konjoryan, and is now an expert for the faction. Arman Barkhudaryan, a council member and former head of the Malatia-Sebastia administrative district, is an advisor to Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Ruben Rubinyan. Zina Chalikhyan is a referent for the Speaker of the National Assembly, while Levon Levonyan serves as an assistant to the head of the National Assembly staff.

The newspaper also learned that Samvel Hakobyan from the "Mother Armenia" faction is listed among the council members holding incompatible positions; he is an assistant to the leader of the "Hayastan" faction in the National Assembly, Seyran Ohanyan.

Thus, despite a decision made during a session of the Anti-Corruption Policy Council to pardon these council members, the Commission will still initiate proceedings against the five council members. The Commission's session is scheduled for Friday, and the proceedings will be sent to the council members within three days.

"In cases specified by law, we are obliged to initiate proceedings, as long as there is no other legislative regulation in place," the Commission stated.

Consequently, the ball is in the National Assembly's court, as these proceedings will be initiated against the council members in their capacity as public officials, and since all five also hold positions in the National Assembly, a decision must be made on whether to free them from their posts.

Considering Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's decision to pardon council members, it is already clear that no measures will be taken against them. Thus, the proceedings will carry a formal nature.

For more details, refer to today's edition of the newspaper.