In the case of bribery to the ruling “Civil Contract ” faction MP Hovik Aghazaryan, citizen of Republic of Armenia Ashot appeared on the accused’s chair, and the deputy remains unpunished to this day.
According to the rare information of “Zhoghovurd” daily, Hovik Aghazaryan, member of the National Assembly “Civil Contract” faction, was testified in the Anti-Corruption Committee, according to which he demanded a bribe of $300,000 to export small cattle from Armenia to the United Arab Emirates without obstacles in violation of established procedures.
“Zhoghovurd” daily was informed from its aware sources that the Anti-Corruption Committee has charged Ashot, the person who testified against the MP of the Civil Contract faction, for reaching an agreement on the transfer of a bribe to MP Hovik Aghazaryan. However, MP Aghazaryan has not been charged.
Now the Anti-Corruption Committee od Republic of Armenia is waiting for the decision of the RA Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan, maybe the Prosecutor in her turn is waiting for the political directive of the RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to enter the National Assembly and deprive Aghazaryan of his parliamentary immunity and also bring charges against the person who demands a bribe or makes an agreement about it.
In this sensational case, the “Zhoghovurd” daily newspaper became aware of the most remarkable facts. In particular, Ashot, the person who testified against MP Hovik Aghazaryan, told the law enforcement officers that they could not pay the $300,000 bribe and in the end they agreed to give Aghazaryan $100,000. As a result, they went and met him in the park adjacent to the RA National Assembly and right there they offered $20,000 to Aghazaryan, but the deputy got angry and said: “We had agreed on $100,000, why did you bring less, I won’t take it”.
He suggested: you will go, you will add, then you will come again”.
“Zhoghovurd” daily newspaper talked with “Civil Contract ” faction MP Hovik Aghazaryan about this information.
– Mr. Aghazaryan, a person named Ashot has been charged for giving you a bribe and there is a criminal proceeding in the Anti-Crruption Committee. Were you invited for questioning within the framework of this criminal case?
– Yes, I was.
– Did you personally attend the questioning?
– Yes․
– What did you tell me? Ashot claims that he agreed to pay you $300,000 to export small cattle to the UAE in violation of the established procedures. Is that true?
– It was not $300,000, but $200,000.
– So you demanded $200,000?
– No, the situation was different. It’s a long story.
– Can you elaborate on that story? Do you know Ashot? Have you met him?
– Yes, I know, I met once and I met through someone I know for a long time. I suppose it is that person.
– Is Slavik that longtime acquaintance Slavik?
– Yes, Slavik came before the meeting with Ashot and said there was a problem, and at that time he and his friends were in some kind of intermission, I didn’t talk for a long time and we will talk later. naturally we met later, Ashot was also there at that time and I said that what you said has no basis and you should take your steps according to the law. then at that time the law enforcement agencies in connection with another case..
– Is this related to the criminal case concerning fake driver’s licenses? According to our information, this bribery case came to light during a wiretap related to the fake driver’s license case.
– No, there are no words from me. Slavik and Ashot may have been discussing something among themselves, but it’s their conversation, not mine.
– But there are reports that there is a personal conversation between you.
– There is no such thing, because there was no such conversation, therefore there cannot be a recording, there was no such conversation.
– In other words, you did not want a bribe of $300,000, or, as you say, a bribe of $200,000.
– Of course not, there was no such conversation.
– In that case, Mr. Aghazaryan, why was Ashot charged with bribery and he has been accused for months?
– I don’t know whether charges have been brought or not, that Ashot has been charged.
– He is sorry for the proposed bribe.
– So let’s assume that he gave it to Slavik, and Slavik also gave it to me.
– They did not come to the meeting with you in the National Assembly.
– No.
– Ashot told the law enforcement officers that they could not pay the $300,000 bribe and in the end they agreed to give Aghazaryan $100,000. As a result, they met and gave the $20,000, but Aghazaryan got angry and said that we had agreed on $100,000.
– Of course not, they did not come or enter the National Assembly, Slavik never came NA. I saw Ashot once and that’s it. It’s internal among them, well the investigation will find out naturally, it’s not saying that Aghazaryan Hovik wanted so much bribe
– There are eavesdropping, there are recordings.
– There can’t be eavesdropping on something that didn’t happen, we didn’t talk to them about those topics.
– In that case, why does Ashot give your name?
– Now if someone talked to Ashot on the phone and said that Agazaryan Hovik wants $200,000 in money to help us, Ashot also said that this is too much… And then, according to logic, he probably gave $20,000, he also said, Aghazaryan Hovik does not agree, at least we should give $100,000, presumably, of course, there is a crime there, how can the law enforcement agencies listen to that conversation, when the name of the National Assembly deputy is mentioned and do not proceed.
– We have come to an important question, the law enforcers have appealed to the Prosecutor General and are waiting for the actions of the Prosecutor General.
– What actions should be taken?
– They come to the National Assembly to deprive you of immunity and charge you.
– They call me and I don’t go? I go when they call me.
– It is a strange circumstance, why should Ashot or Slavik give your name in the case of bribery that you are the one who asked for a bribe?
– The investigator asked me that question and I said that I will not answer that question because you know the answer to that question, so you should think for a long time, you will close the air, I will tell you. – Why, tell me now. I can’t say whether it’s a bedtime thing.
– What you told us, you said the same in the Anti-orruption Committee.
– I told a lot of things there, about where the story could come from, how it came about, I told everything. It’s a pre-trial secret, I can’t say much.
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