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PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION - 2018: "SMEAR WAR" LAUNCHED
by Tatevik Shahunyan
arminfo
Thursday, July 11, 14:44
Ex-head of the Ararat Regional Department for Agriculture and Nature
Protection Tigran Virabyan has been arrested over the case on misuse
of the diesel fuel provided to the rural economies in the Ararat
region with the support of the government. According to the Special
Investigation Service, Virabyan is facing large-scale embezzlement
charges (Article 179.3.1 of the Criminal Code of Armenia).
The name of Jonik Abrahamyan, the brother of Armenian Parliament
Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan was also connected with the case. According
to the report of the Finance Ministry Audit Inspectorate on the
inspections in the Ararat region, Jonik Abrahamyan received 48,000
liters of diesel fuel the government provided to the vulnerable rural
residents at preferential prices.
It has been widely rumored in political circles in Armenia that Jonik
Abrahamyan's case was Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan's response to
Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan's criticism at the government following
the Control Chamber's report on large-scale embezzlements of the
budget funds.
Nevertheless, sources close to the Republican Party say that at
the meeting of the Republican Party Executive Body, the president
reprimanded the prime minister for 'sending' financial inspectors to
the 'Abrahamyans family.' According to the given sources, the president
was displeased with the open criticism the ruling party representatives
lever at each other. Earlier, Serzh Sargsyan reprimanded the
parliamentary majority, particularly, the parliament leadership, for
their behavior with regard to the Control Chamber's report. To recall,
after the Control Chamber's report was introduced in the parliament,
Hovik Abrahamyan harshly criticized the government structures for
misuse of the budget funds. Later, the above Inspectorate of the
Finance Ministry made public the data on the diesel fuel received by
Abrahamyan's family at a preferential price.
Although high-ranking officials from the Republican Party say
that there are no discrepancies inside the party, the 'smear war'
is continued. Thus, today a local Zhoghovurd newspaper wrote about
misuse of 2 mln dollars provided by the government for organization
of Shanhai-2012 exhibition. To recall, Armenia's Ambassador to China
is the brother of Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.
"With permanent shortage of the budget funds for settlement of relevant
social problems, the government always finds money to organize various
exhibitions and then misuse it," the paper wrote promising to bring
specific figures on the non-purposeful use of those funds in the
next issue.
To recall, an 'offshore scandal' has recently swirled around Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Leader of the Ararat Diocese of the
Armenian Apostolic Church Navasard Kjoyan. An offshore company
was allegedly registered for them. According to media reports, the
company became the beneficiary of the funds received from the forced
bankruptcy of businessman Paylak Hayrapetyan, who was "stiffed"
by Kjoyan's son-in-law.
According to ArmInfo's neutral sources in the Republican Party,
there is a real 'war' between Tigran Sargsyan and Hovik Abrahamyan
ahead of the presidential election of 2018. According to the source,
Tigran Sargsyan is nursing serious presidential ambitions. However,
the Republican wing led by Hovik Abrahamyan prefers to see another
presidential nominee that would be more acceptable for them. This is
what prompted the "smear war" and leak of 'confidential' information
against Sargsyan and Abrahamyan. -m-
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
by Tatevik Shahunyan
arminfo
Thursday, July 11, 14:44
Ex-head of the Ararat Regional Department for Agriculture and Nature
Protection Tigran Virabyan has been arrested over the case on misuse
of the diesel fuel provided to the rural economies in the Ararat
region with the support of the government. According to the Special
Investigation Service, Virabyan is facing large-scale embezzlement
charges (Article 179.3.1 of the Criminal Code of Armenia).
The name of Jonik Abrahamyan, the brother of Armenian Parliament
Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan was also connected with the case. According
to the report of the Finance Ministry Audit Inspectorate on the
inspections in the Ararat region, Jonik Abrahamyan received 48,000
liters of diesel fuel the government provided to the vulnerable rural
residents at preferential prices.
It has been widely rumored in political circles in Armenia that Jonik
Abrahamyan's case was Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan's response to
Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan's criticism at the government following
the Control Chamber's report on large-scale embezzlements of the
budget funds.
Nevertheless, sources close to the Republican Party say that at
the meeting of the Republican Party Executive Body, the president
reprimanded the prime minister for 'sending' financial inspectors to
the 'Abrahamyans family.' According to the given sources, the president
was displeased with the open criticism the ruling party representatives
lever at each other. Earlier, Serzh Sargsyan reprimanded the
parliamentary majority, particularly, the parliament leadership, for
their behavior with regard to the Control Chamber's report. To recall,
after the Control Chamber's report was introduced in the parliament,
Hovik Abrahamyan harshly criticized the government structures for
misuse of the budget funds. Later, the above Inspectorate of the
Finance Ministry made public the data on the diesel fuel received by
Abrahamyan's family at a preferential price.
Although high-ranking officials from the Republican Party say
that there are no discrepancies inside the party, the 'smear war'
is continued. Thus, today a local Zhoghovurd newspaper wrote about
misuse of 2 mln dollars provided by the government for organization
of Shanhai-2012 exhibition. To recall, Armenia's Ambassador to China
is the brother of Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.
"With permanent shortage of the budget funds for settlement of relevant
social problems, the government always finds money to organize various
exhibitions and then misuse it," the paper wrote promising to bring
specific figures on the non-purposeful use of those funds in the
next issue.
To recall, an 'offshore scandal' has recently swirled around Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Leader of the Ararat Diocese of the
Armenian Apostolic Church Navasard Kjoyan. An offshore company
was allegedly registered for them. According to media reports, the
company became the beneficiary of the funds received from the forced
bankruptcy of businessman Paylak Hayrapetyan, who was "stiffed"
by Kjoyan's son-in-law.
According to ArmInfo's neutral sources in the Republican Party,
there is a real 'war' between Tigran Sargsyan and Hovik Abrahamyan
ahead of the presidential election of 2018. According to the source,
Tigran Sargsyan is nursing serious presidential ambitions. However,
the Republican wing led by Hovik Abrahamyan prefers to see another
presidential nominee that would be more acceptable for them. This is
what prompted the "smear war" and leak of 'confidential' information
against Sargsyan and Abrahamyan. -m-
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress