Criminal proceedings examined by the Anti-Corruption Committee concern not only former but also current officials, Committee Chairman Artur Nahapetyan said at a session of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs.
“Addressing the claim that the Anti-Corruption Committee fights exclusively against former officials, I do not agree with that assertion, since criminal prosecutions also concern incumbent officials, not only former ones. I cannot provide a percentage breakdown at this moment, but several verification actions are currently underway at the Anti-Corruption Committee targeting not former, but current officials,” Nahapetyan said in response to a question from MP Gegham Nazaryan, according to Armenpress.
He also touched upon what preventive data the Committee has presented to the government in order to eliminate corruption risks. According to Nahapetyan, about 120 submissions have been drafted and addressed to state and local bodies.
“The essence of these submissions is that when, in the course of criminal proceedings, we identify causes and conditions that give rise to crime and see that they must be eliminated, we set them out in a relevant document and address them to specific bodies, expecting appropriate steps within one month and written notification of the measures taken,” he said.
According to Nahapetyan, the main purpose of these submissions is to prevent corruption-related crimes in the future by eliminating the circumstances and conditions that may contribute to the development and spread of corruption.
He declined to assess at this stage whether statements by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s wife, Anna Hakobyan, regarding English language classes fall outside the scope of the charity ban, Aysor.am reports.
“At this stage, I will refrain from giving a legal assessment of a specific case so that my words do not predetermine a legal outcome. However, Article 221 of the Criminal Code addresses violations of the charity ban. Essentially, it applies from the moment the president signs a decree appointing election day until the results are finalized — during that period, the charity ban is in effect,” he said.
Nahapetyan also stated that no report concerning Pashinyan’s wife has been registered with the Committee.
“If we receive a report or conduct verification actions, we will make an appropriate decision and duly inform the public,” he added.
In response to a journalist’s question about whether he sees a risk that making any statement on Anna Hakobyan’s case could prompt a WhatsApp message from Nikol Pashinyan, the Anti-Corruption Committee chairman replied: “Your question has no answer.”
Earlier, it was reported that the Anti-Corruption Committee is conducting verification actions regarding real estate acquired by Civil Contract faction leader Hayk Konjoryan in the Arinj settlement of the Abovyan community, Kotayk Province.
