New Scandal in Shengavit Administrative District: Cover-up of Kindergarten Discoveries

New and striking revelations have emerged in the Shengavit administrative district regarding the tenure of former district leader Razmik Mkrtchyan. In particular, it has been revealed that serious violations were recorded at the "Yerevan No. 143 Nursery-Kindergarten" state non-commercial organization during the summer of 2024, including inflated positions, salary embezzlement, and misappropriation of food allocated for children.

As a result of the persistent work of the parental community and the district administration, it was discovered how the allocated food for children was hidden in the basement of the kindergarten, who was involved in taking it out of the kindergarten, and other scandalous details. News.am reports this.

Immediately after the revelation, the acting director of the kindergarten, Rouzanna Danielyan, submitted her resignation, which was accepted by the district leader Razmik Mkrtchyan on July 4, 2024.

According to the media, the mayor's office did not alert law enforcement about the occurrence, effectively concealing the alleged crime, while reassuring concerned parents that the revelation would undergo proper legal proceedings and those responsible would be held accountable.

Following the incident, not only did law enforcement fail to visit the kindergarten for the necessary operational and investigative actions, but a criminal case was not initiated, kindergarten staff were not interrogated by investigative bodies, data regarding the recorded violations were not transferred to the prosecuting bodies, food items found in the basement were not seized or sent for examination, and the director was not even subject to disciplinary action by the district leader for the documented violations.

Later, taking advantage of the "carelessness" or "generosity" of the municipal officials, Rouzanna Danielyan attempted to legally "trap" the mayor by withdrawing her resignation. Specifically, on June 28, 2024, she submitted a resignation request to the district leader stating, "Please relieve me of my duties." A few hours later, on the same day, she submitted a second resignation request, asking to be relieved from July 6.

Days later, on July 1, presumably after consulting with lawyers, Danielyan submitted a request to the general department of the district leader’s office stating, "Please consider my June 28, 2024 resignation request as unfulfilled," to which Razmik Mkrtchyan responded on July 3, 2024, indicating that no action was taken regarding the June 28 resignation request.

Utilizing the mayor's error, Rouzanna Danielyan appealed to the Civil Court of the Republic of Armenia, demanding to annul the mayor's order of July 4, 2024, restore her to her former job, and recover from the respondent the amount equivalent to her average salary for the entire period of compulsory inactivity.

On November 7, 2024, the First Instance Civil Court of Yerevan decided to partially grant Danielyan's claim against the Shengavit Administrative District’s administration. The court noted that the employer did not have the right to relieve Rouzanna Danielyan of her duties, as she had expressed the will that the employment relationship between the parties should continue. Therefore, Danielyan could not enjoy the opportunity of withdrawing her resignation, and in this context, the court concluded that the employment relationship was terminated in violation of legislative requirements, thus rendering the July 4, 2024 order regarding her dismissal invalid.

The court also ruled to recover the entire period of compulsory inactivity in favor of Rouzanna Danielyan from the Shengavit Administrative District’s office. More details in the original source.