YEREVAN. – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s recent visit to the US on board a private plane remains at the focus of the press, according to 168 Zham (Hour) newspaper.
“Pashinyan was still in the US when the press found out that Nikol Pashinyan’s American visit cost more than 350 thousand US dollars for the state budget. Now, it has also been found out to which company that money was paid.
“Hetq website has found out in its extensive article that the Gulfstream G550 private plane, which took Nikol Pashinyan from Gyumri to the US on September 21, belongs to Ukrainian politician Nestor Ivanovych Shufrych, who, as an Opposition Bloc representative in Ukraine, has been reelected MP in 2019. Prior to his election as an MP, he held positions at various enterprises.
“168.аm tried to find out from the prime minister’s spokesperson, Vladimir Karapetyan, what the reason was for the leasing of the plane of the company owned by [this] Ukrainian figure for the prime minister’s American visit.
“In response to the question, Vladimir Karapetyan said: ‘If I say it had been a plane owned by another company, the question could have been why that company was chosen. There is no predisposition. The choice was made proceeding from expediency.’
“Asked whether the given company is owned by the Ukrainian businessman had any role in the expediency of the government, Vladimir Karapetyan replied: ‘No, it hasn’t,’” 168 Zham wrote.
