In regard to the cases of prima facie abuse at the Ministry of Nature Protection of Armenia, several circumstances have been established under the criminal case being investigated by the General Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Committee of Armenia.

The Department of Information and Public Relations of the Investigative Committee of Armenia reports that large-scale investigative and other procedural actions have helped the Committee obtain data about relevant officials of the Ministry of Nature Protection having negligently caused essential damage that led to grave consequences for the lawful interests of the state.

It was established that the head of the Department for Water Use Permits of the Agency for Water Resource Management at the Ministry of Nature Protection of Armenia, other officials of the ministry, including former minister of nature protection Aram Harutyunyan, by prima facie abuse of official position, by violation of the requirements of relevant legal acts, granted water use permit to one of the hydropower stations in Armenia.

The preliminary investigation is over, and the criminal case, along with the indictment, has been sent to the Prosecutor General’s Office with a motion to approve and forward to court.