Another criminal case has been filed against former Mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan, and based on the well-known footage that was released.
Director of the National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia, Artur Vanetsyan, on Tuesday told about the aforesaid to reporters.
“(…) which [the criminal case] referred to his assets; the investigation on these assets is in progress,” he noted. “If it turns out that these assets were acquired unlawfully, believe [me], he will be held accountable. And as for the criminal case related to Yerevan Foundation, Taron Margaryan will be freed from accountability after paying the money.”
“The Yerevan Foundation director admitted that there was oversight at the foundation,” the NSS chief added. “He has assumed an obligation to restore the 1 billion and 810 million-dram money. One billion drams from that amount has already been restored to the state budget, and the [remaining] 810 million drams will be paid in the near future.
“If a person has allowed financial misuse and is ready to restore the money, I believe it’s more effective that these funds are restored to the state budget.”
As reported earlier, the NSS had received a report from two persons. They had stated that, aside from the respective payments defined by law, some officials from capital city Yerevan Municipality had obligated them to transfer large amounts of money to Yerevan Foundation, whose chairman of the board of trustees is ex-Mayor Taron Margaryan, and in exchange for issuing permits for construction and property registration.
It was found out, however, that a part of this cash money—which was received under the abovementioned pretext—was not entered into the account of this foundation, and it was stolen.
Subsequently, the NSS filed a criminal case on charges of misuse of official powers, and fraud.
On June 14, search was conducted—under this criminal case—at the Yerevan Foundation offices, which are located in the Yerevan Municipality building.
Afterward, Yerevan Foundation Director Ashot Ghazaryan, and Davitashen Administrative District Deputy Head Khachatur Kirakosyan were arrested along the lines of this criminal case.
