YEREVAN. – The multifunctional excavator, which the Government of Armenia had purchased in 2010 for 600,000 euros, was to clean Lake Sevan from the trees, shrubs and roots that were left under the water, Zhoghovurd daily reported.

“Zhoghovurd has learned, however, that this equipment does not serve its purpose; officials, who have summer homes on the shores of Lake Sevan, use it to clean ‘their share’ of Sevan.

“Zhoghovurd spoke with Grisha Hovhannisyan, Acting Director of the Nature Protection Project Office of the Ministry of Nature Protection, to find out why the expensive excavator is not used as it should be.   

‘“There is no such thing; these are rumors. We are carrying out work. Let those who say [this] come see whether or not there is an oligarch’s home there,’ Hovhannisyan explained,” Zhoghovurd wrote.