Former Mayor of Gyumri Alienates Lands Surrounding the 'Black Fortress'

The former head of the Gyumri community has set out to convert the state-owned lands surrounding the 'Black Fortress' into family property after acquiring the fortress building and a 0.79-hectare plot of land. This information has been reported by the Investigative Committee.

The former mayor has separated a 20.28-hectare parcel into two distinct units, providing two new addresses, 2/7 and 2/8 on Gars highway, with areas of 19.28 hectares and 1 hectare, respectively. The Ministry of Defense has been granted rights of gratuitous use over these lands, with certificates issued indicating the intended use of these lands as residential, while the government decree classified 4 hectares of the area as specially protected territory.

On February 9, 2015, a 1-hectare plot of land designated as a specially protected area with historical and cultural significance was illegally sold directly by the Ministry of Defense to an employee of a company owned by the former mayor's son for 13 million AMD. Subsequently, based on a false certificate provided by the former mayor's deputy, the ownership rights were registered in favor of a related party, causing significant harm to the state's legal interests and resulting in severe consequences due to negligence.

Moreover, construction activities have been carried out on the illegally separated and alienated lands, which led to the effective disappearance of the specially protected territory, depriving the state of the opportunity to manage it. The former mayor's son has colluded with a group of individuals to disguise and distort the actual nature and origin of a 1-hectare land plot, entering into a sale contract with S.J., stating a sale price of 4.9 million AMD.

The illegally obtained real estate has been transferred by S.J. to the former mayor's son, resulting in his ownership rights being registered and a state registration certificate issued. Additionally, the former mayor aimed to convert another part of the land adjacent to the 'Black Fortress' into family property.

As a result, the gratuitous use rights of the Ministry of Defense over the land at the address 2/7 on Gars highway have been terminated, and the land has been reclaimed by the ministry, now registered under the Gyumri community. The former mayor subsequently divided the area into four separate units, auctioning off a protected plot of 1.17236 hectares at the address 2/9 on Gars highway to S.M. for 15,387,750 AMD through formal auction. Following this, under preliminary arrangement with his father and S.M., the former mayor's son entered into a sale agreement with S.M. for the plot, declaring a sale price of 16 million AMD to conceal the true nature of the land.

Public criminal proceedings have been initiated against the former mayor's son (2 counts), S.J., and S.M. under Article 296(3) of the Criminal Code (money laundering), against the former mayor's deputy under Article 445(1) (official forgery), and under Article 441(2)(5) for assisting an official in misuse of power. The former mayor's son and S.J. are under house arrest, S.M. is under administrative supervision, and the former deputy is prohibited from leaving.

The criminal case against them has been referred to the supervising prosecutor for an indictment and sent to court for review. Public criminal proceedings have also been initiated against the former mayor under paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 441(2) (misuse of official powers) and Article 296(3)(3) (money laundering) (2 counts). He remains under arrest and is currently wanted.

Note: An accused individual is considered innocent until proven guilty according to the law, as stipulated by the Criminal Procedure Code, and by the court's legally valid verdict.