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SENATOR MAY LOSE SEAT IN AIRLINE BRIBERY CASE
The Moscow Times, Russia
Itar-Tass
June 6 2006
Combined Reports
Senator Levon Chakhmakhchyan faced expulsion from the Federation
Council on Monday after security agents said they caught him with a
$300,000 bribe in a sting operation.
Chakhmakhchyan was the latest politician to be targeted in what
appears to largely be a jockeying for power in the run-up to the 2008
presidential election. Authorities are portraying the shakeups as a
drive against corruption.
State-run television prominently broadcast footage Monday of
Chakhmakhchyan, from the republic of Kalmykia, being questioned on
Friday after agents from the Federal Security Service detained two
associates and accused them of carrying a black briefcase containing
the cash.
Chakhmakhchyan, who was at the Moscow offices of an airline with his
associates, was released because of his parliamentary immunity, the
Prosecutor General's Office said. Channel One television identified
the airline as Transaero on Sunday.
Prosecutors said the two associates of Chakhmakhchyan had sought to
blackmail a businessman to avoid a negative report on his company's
activities by the Audit Chamber, the country's main financial watchdog.
Prosecutors identified the two suspects as Igor Arushanov, the chief
accountant of the Association of Russian-Armenian Business Partnership,
and Armen Oganesyan, an Audit Chamber official.
Chakhmakhchyan is the president of the association, and Oganesyan is
his son-in-law.
Chakhmakhchyan has denied wrongdoing and denounced the incident as
a provocation.
Transaero spokesman Sergei Bykhal declined to comment Monday, citing
the ongoing investigation.
Federation Council Speaker Sergei Mironov ordered the Kalmykia
legislature to recall Chakh-makhchyan as its senator, council
spokesman Vladimir Yeremenko said. That would strip Chakh-makhchyan
of his immunity.
Kalmykia's president, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, supported Mironov, saying
local legislators should honor his request, Interfax reported.
A half-dozen prominent regional politicians have been forced out of
office in recent weeks.
After being detained last week, Volgograd Mayor Yevgeny Ishchenko
was charged Monday with abuse of office and engaging in illegal
business activities.
The Moscow Times, Russia
Itar-Tass
June 6 2006
Combined Reports
Senator Levon Chakhmakhchyan faced expulsion from the Federation
Council on Monday after security agents said they caught him with a
$300,000 bribe in a sting operation.
Chakhmakhchyan was the latest politician to be targeted in what
appears to largely be a jockeying for power in the run-up to the 2008
presidential election. Authorities are portraying the shakeups as a
drive against corruption.
State-run television prominently broadcast footage Monday of
Chakhmakhchyan, from the republic of Kalmykia, being questioned on
Friday after agents from the Federal Security Service detained two
associates and accused them of carrying a black briefcase containing
the cash.
Chakhmakhchyan, who was at the Moscow offices of an airline with his
associates, was released because of his parliamentary immunity, the
Prosecutor General's Office said. Channel One television identified
the airline as Transaero on Sunday.
Prosecutors said the two associates of Chakhmakhchyan had sought to
blackmail a businessman to avoid a negative report on his company's
activities by the Audit Chamber, the country's main financial watchdog.
Prosecutors identified the two suspects as Igor Arushanov, the chief
accountant of the Association of Russian-Armenian Business Partnership,
and Armen Oganesyan, an Audit Chamber official.
Chakhmakhchyan is the president of the association, and Oganesyan is
his son-in-law.
Chakhmakhchyan has denied wrongdoing and denounced the incident as
a provocation.
Transaero spokesman Sergei Bykhal declined to comment Monday, citing
the ongoing investigation.
Federation Council Speaker Sergei Mironov ordered the Kalmykia
legislature to recall Chakh-makhchyan as its senator, council
spokesman Vladimir Yeremenko said. That would strip Chakh-makhchyan
of his immunity.
Kalmykia's president, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, supported Mironov, saying
local legislators should honor his request, Interfax reported.
A half-dozen prominent regional politicians have been forced out of
office in recent weeks.
After being detained last week, Volgograd Mayor Yevgeny Ishchenko
was charged Monday with abuse of office and engaging in illegal
business activities.