Offshore business hostages

During a recent parliamentary session convoked for the purpose of discussing tax concessions to the International School of Dilijan RPA’s Edward Sharmazanov said that the discussion reminded him of a tale for children, and the opposition was in rival for a better cover version of the tale. In fact Sharmazanov subconsciously reflected reiterated the strategy the authorities are using to blow the minds of people. What the authorities are doing with state administration and accountability to the society really looks like a tale for children. It is two weeks that the parliament is discussing economic machinations related to kickbacks and other manipulations. The ruling Republican party was trying to seem a good hero of the tale.

The main topic of discussion was the scandal related to businesses registered by Prime-Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan. One of the three persons that the offshore company was registered for, Mr. Sukiasyan published a letter in the media writing that the company was registered by him and he included the two names above on purpose.

Following this publication RPA representatives are actively promoting in the media the idea that Sukiasyan had confessed and the PM was not guilty. In fact, there is no guarantee that the letter was not written by anybody else because it was an e-mail and the PM and even Archbishop Kchoyan could do it. Following the publication about the scandal the authorities started circulating the idea that anyone could register any company in any name in the offshore zone. It was necessary for them to announce that they did not know where Sukiasyan was, and later they would search for Sukiasyan and he would send an e-mail.

However, the authorities know where Sukiasyan is now. The police chief Vladimir Gasparyan has announced that there is no place in the world where the police cannot find people. “Nobody’s location in the world can be hidden. We have proven that we are able to bring tourist-criminals even from the end of the world. I don’t see any problem here,” said Vladimir Gasparyan.

In answer to question whether the police would bring Ashot Sukiasyan to Armenia the police chief said, “We do not have a problem finding him. We are working and we almost know where he is. We will do our best. If I say that we will bring him tomorrow, we will not be able to do that.” What the police chief says literally means that he knows the place of Sukiasyan, but he has not received an order to bring him. Maybe they will find and bring Sukiasyan to justice, but it may take place in another tale named “Tigran Sargsyan’s criminal activity.”

Kchoyan’s godson makes a sensational announcement and shares excellent knowledge in geography

Hetq media resource has received an e-mail from Ashot Sukiasyan and published it. The latter is being searched by the Armenian police and according to businessman Paylak Hayrapetyan, is in close relations with the Armenian political elite and church elite. The e-mail submitted by Sukiasyan tries to explain that it was not him that cheated his partners but others did it with him. It is not clear who is guilty in this controversial story.

In the concluding section of his message Sukiasyan writes that WLISPERA HOLDINGS LIMITED company was registered in the offshore zone by him and in the name of Prime-Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan without their knowledge and prior consent.

In the first paragraph of the message Ashot Sukiasyan writes that in 2009 a number of meetings were organized by the Armenian government and ministry of economy for the purpose of developing diamond and jewelry production in Armenia and opening vacancies.

“During the meeting an issue was tackled, which related to the a credit offer in the form of raw diamond by Russia, with 5% interest rate and 15 years of coverage period. After receiving the price list of the offered raw diamond we found out that the price and quality of the products did not correspond to the quality and prices in the market. During the meeting I offered to import raw diamond offered by a company from the South African Sierra Leone Republic.” Please pay attention to the geographic location of Sierra Leone suggested by the businessman. In fact this person, who is a businessman with influential business connections with African countries and businesses involved in diamond industry, but does not know that Sierra Leone is not in South Africa but in the Eastern part of the African continent. It may seem this is a minor thing. However, this story is connected with a huge financial problem and such minor things may give clues to the big problem.

Either Ashot Sukiasyan does not really know the geographical location of the country he is doing business with, or he was not attentive in writing the first part of his letter. In case of the first scenario, it is the bad of the Armenian government because they are making business with someone who does not know even the geographical location of the country that he is proposing to involve in business with them. And if he wrote his message with negligence, it means his primary goal was to whitewash the scandal involving the Prime Minister and Archbishop. “I have registered shares of the company in the name of PM Tigran Sargsyan and Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan. I have done this for the purpose of keeping my business secure from various abuses. I would not think about any further negative consequences,” writes Sukiasyan’s letter.

In fact, trying to whitewash the involvement of the PM and Archbishop in this scandal Sukiasyan discredited the police and church by directly saying that it is dangerous to make business in Armenia without political support. The absurd and nonsense is the involvement of church elite in backing up businesses in Armenia.

By Babken Tunyan