The sealed companies are not a problem, but a crime. Aram Orbelyan, a lawyer of Armenia's second president Robert Kocharyan, stated this during a press conference on Wednesday.

He noted this in response to Armenian News-NEWS.am's question about Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan's earlier statement that businessmen who consider the restrictive measures applied to businesses in Armenia disproportionate can go to court and even demand compensation from the state for damages.

“It is not a problem, but a crime,” the lawyer emphasized, adding that Armenia’s Criminal Procedure Code does not provide for such a thing.

The investigator has the right to prohibit entry and exit only during a search; it is an investigative action that lasts several hours or a day, added the lawyer.

“It is good that they considered it a problem. But it is not a problem, but a crime, because without having the authority to exercise such powers, this is an article about abuse of official authority,” Orbelyan said.

He noted that there are decisions on recognizing actions as unlawful, but even after that decision, which is mandatory for execution, the companies still do not open.

The lawyer noted that in the case of Robert Kocharyan and his son Sedrak, the matter concerns taxes, and there is no “corruption” component. But as for taxes, the lawyer continued, everything is in order, there is no and cannot be any tax evasion. From the moment of import, everything is transparent as to where it is stored and where it is sold, everything is being checked, and there is no possibility of hiding anything.

Orbelyan said what is being done is an interference with entrepreneurial freedom, which is accompanied by the fact that the budget is being deprived of tax revenues.

According to him, investors are very worried, trying not to invest in Armenia, and if they do, then in sectors where the payback period is short or where the process is carried out with the funds of local banks, which is essentially not an investment, but rather selling something to Armenia.