YEREVAN. – The ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs do not need to worry on how they will vote on the case of former FM, MP Oskanian, as they will be called and told, opposition ARF Dashnaktsutyun MP Vahan Hovhannisyan said during the parliamentary discussions on Monday. As it was earlier reported, the Armenian parliament on Monday holds discussions on the petition by the Prosecutor General to involve Oskanian as a defendant in the criminal case on money laundering. Hovhannisyan also stated that the ARFD will not participate in the voting. Oskanian is accused for espionage and money laundering, however, Hovhannisyan would like that all the MPs could have the opportunity to present their financial affairs publicly and at that moment the opposition MP is sure that many would have been arrested immediately. On May 25, the National Security Service Department of Investigation filed a criminal lawsuit on charges of money laundering with respect to The Civilitas Foundation. The NSS Press Center had informed that an investigation is underway in connection with selling the 100-percent shares of the Huntsman Building Products Company for around $2 million, but not informing Armenia’s tax authorities about this business deal; not using for charitable purposes $1,135,000 of that amount envisioned for charity; transferring this amount to the bank accounts opened under the names of the Civilitas Foundation’s founder - former FM and currently Prosperous Armenia Party MP - Vartan Oskanian, and of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees member Tigran Karapetyan; and using some of this amount for private purposes. In addition, as per the NSS Press Center, The Civilitas Foundation had not presented a report on the $2 million allocated for charitable purposes. In his turn, Vartan Oskanian considers the charges are politically motivated. Civilitas was founded in 2008 by former foreign minister Vartan Oskanian. After joining Prosperous Armenia Party ahead of the May 6 parliamentary elections, Oskanian gave up his post as a foundation chairman.
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