Corruption: Out of 16.8 Billion Drams, Torosyans Allocated 6.8 Billion to Medical Center

The member of the ruling My Step Alliance, Narek Zeynalanyan, not only lost his parliamentary mandate after being requested to resign via an SMS but also might have difficulty becoming, or perhaps will not become at all, the director of the hospital where he is now appointed as the head of the department. Arsen Torosyan and Anahit Avanesyan have a joint candidate and are making serious efforts, although the minister is currently on vacation and has provided no comments. This was reported by the newspaper Joghvorat.

Why has 'the minister of death,' Arsen Torosyan, launched a campaign against his close ally Narek Zeynalanyan, wanting at all costs to make his confidant Narek Vanesyan the director of Yerevan's Saint Gregory the Illuminator Medical Center? And why has Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan effectively formed a coalition with him in this case?

As of August 1 of this year, it has been suggested that to avoid potential corruption revelations, former and current ministers want to arrange the events in such a way that Narek Vanesyan becomes the director of the SGH Medical Center, given that he was the head of quarantine facilities in Yerevan during the coronavirus pandemic.

Concerns arise regarding the questionable distribution of funds spent during Torosyan's time regarding the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, including deviations in spending and ineffective allocations.

Now, let us present factual evidence of how and why, for the purpose of ensuring 'Rapid Prevention, Control, Treatment, and Overcoming of the New Coronavirus Infection in Armenia,' out of 26,491,923.9 thousand drams financed in 2020, 16,820,846.8 thousand drams was directed by Minister Arsen Torosyan’s order to a reprofiled number of 26 healthcare institutions.

The list presented by Joghvorat is based on data provided by the Ministry of Finance, where it is seen that out of 16 billion drams, 6.8 billion drams were allocated to the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Medical Center under the command of Arsen Torosyan. The center's director, Arman Hovakimyan, was close to Torosyan, who, according to press reports, set his monthly salary at 5 million drams.

The next significant allocation was made to the Infectious Diseases Hospital under state management (2.290 billion), where nearly 8 directors have changed until now. Another recipient is the Holy Mother of God Medical Center (1.919 billion), whose director, Tehran Navikyan, was a friend of Arsen Torosyan, with whom he constructed a summer house side by side in Tsaghkadzor with identical architectural designs. The current director, Hovhannes Zohrapyan, is a trained cadre under Narek Vanesyan's program, once again a trusted individual of Arsen Torosyan.

Another significant funding was received by the Center for Trauma Surgery (1.438 billion), which received impressive financing during the pandemic. In comparison, many of Armenia's largest hospitals, which are more well-known and have higher throughput, received comparatively lower financing. For example, 'Erebuni' (303 million), 'Armenia' (278 million), 'Astghik' (192 million), and Yerevan State Medical University Hospital (70 million) hospitals received significantly less funding.

This is how Arsen Torosyan continues to maintain his influence over the directors of state hospitals. And this is why Arsen Torosyan and the current minister do not allow someone 'foreign' to become the director of the RGIMC—to ensure that the generous flow of state orders remains manageable. Next, we will present how the enormous financial resources allocated for combating the pandemic were distributed from the state budget and various sources. Arsen Torosyan, who speaks of the looting of the previous administrations, should organize master classes for past thieves on how to spend billions with violations and distractions while remaining unpunished.