NA Official Charged
The Anti-Corruption Committee of the Republic of Armenia (RA) has concluded the preliminary investigation of a criminal case, during which instances of an official of the National Assembly (NA) receiving illegal remuneration on a large scale were revealed. The case, with the indictment, has already been sent to the Anti-Corruption Court. According to the investigative data, in 2023, A. K., through an acquaintance, appealed to the NA official to organize the process of exporting 150-200 thousand heads of agricultural animals to the United Arab Emirates outside of the procedures established by law. For this purpose, the MP demanded 200 thousand US dollars, with 100 thousand dollars as an initial payment. On August 10, 2023, during a meeting, A. K. offered to transfer 20 thousand dollars, with the remaining amount to be paid during the export of each batch of animals. However, the MP refused this amount, insisting that he had already reached agreements with other officials and it was necessary to maintain the predetermined amount. The preliminary investigation also uncovered another case: the same official of the National Assembly also acted as an intermediary in the process of demolishing the dilapidated building of one of Yerevan’s schools, constructing a new school on part of its territory, and providing the other part to a specific LLC for the construction permit of a multi-apartment building. The founder-president of the company gave the MP a total of 23 thousand US dollars and 300 thousand drams in installments in 2021 as a bribe. In 2023, the MP addressed a letter to the Urban Development Committee, presenting the company’s proposal and the relevant documents. The Anti-Corruption Committee reports that the NA official has been charged with taking a bribe on a large scale and using official powers for mercenary motives.