Vahan Kerobyan on Ani Ispiryan`s case: I am sure that all processes  took place within law

ArmInfo. I can't speak 100% for anyone other than myself, but at this point the charges filed and what I know allows me to say there is nothing illegal about what we did.  Armenian Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan stated in an interview with Public Television, speaking about the criminal case against his deputy Ani Ispiryan.

In addition, he ruled out negligence in the actions of Ministry  employees in implementing the tender program, which was the reason  for the start of investigative proceedings in the department.  The  minister noted that the charges brought against him have no basis.  "They say "obvious corruption", but they don't specify what type;  whether it was a bribe or not. Moreover, in this case, there can be  no question of spending budget funds," he said.

According to Kerobyan, the fight against corruption is a priority for  the government. He noted in this regard that Armenia was included in  the list of countries that improved their performance in the  Corruption Perceptions Index. However, it states that important  reforms have been carried out at the legal level, but in the context  of application, 'we're treading in place'.

"That is, we need to increase indictments, rather than arrests. If  their number is growing, then we must thank our investigative  authorities. But if not, we need to pay attention to those who  initiated the case," said the head of the department.

Kerobyan noted that the accusations brought forward may naturally  cause doubts and mistrust among the public, but he urged not to make  hasty conclusions. "I am sure that all processes took place within  the framework of the law," he emphasized.

If Ani Ispiryan's guilt is confirmed, the Minister of Economy stated  that he is ready to take responsibility and present his decision and  position on this issue to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Today, by the decision of Yerevan Anti-Corruption Court, former  Deputy Minister of Economy Ani Ispiryan was sentenced to two months  of house arrest.

The decision was made within the framework of a high-profile case  involving officials of the RA Ministry of Economy. Earlier it became  known about the arrest of the director of the Synergy company Ashot  Hovhannisyan and wife of the brother of the Speaker of the Parliament  of Armenia Anya Gevorgyan.  On February 1, the Investigative  Committee of Armenia announced the detention of 7 people after  searches in the country's Ministry of Economy, six of whom, including  officials of the RA Ministry of Economy, are involved in the case of  the so-called Bank of State Investment Projects, and one as part of a  fraud in the implementation of the intensive gardening program.

According to the materials of the case, the suspects set such  conditions so that the company that offered a price offer of 392  million drams (three times more than the competitor) was recognized  as the winner in the competition for the establishment of the Bank of  State Investment Projects. In the second case, information was  obtained that an official of the Ministry of Economy, without reason,  facilitated the transfer of 238,418,100 drams, which were embezzled,  to the accounts of farmers who did not provide the relevant documents  and were engaged in intensive gardens.

Let us also note that at the end of December, Deputy Minister of  Economy Ani Ispiryan (she held the position of Deputy Minister of  Economy from September 14, 2021 and was dismissed on January 30 of  this year) was elected to the post of Chair of the Board of Directors  of the Armenian National Interests Fund (ANIF) CJSC.