2022 February 15

Daily news wrap-up

News - Feb/15/2022: Kochayran's bribery trial reaches final stage; Son & associates __ Bill to demand return of lands occupied by Azerb. __ Ceasefire violation; Threats to arrest __ Sec. Con. chief discusses negotiation history __ Single-source public procurements __ Egg dumping __ RIC __ Logistics
by ar_david_hh

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This is your 15-minute Tuesday digest in 3800 words.

prosecutors read closing argument in $4M bribery case involving ex-president Kocharyan and his aide

Prosecutors: Robert Kocharyan, with the help of [H2 media outlet owner] Samvel Mayrepetyan, took $3M in bribes from Թի Էս Էս Սի Արմենիա Ltd. director Silva Hambardzumyan in February-May of 2008, in exchange for not hindering the sale of her licensed mining exploration company to a non-resident company.

Kocharyan's aide Armen Gevorgyan [today HD MP], with the help of Samvel Mayrapetyan, took a $1M bribe between February 2006 and April 2008 as part of this deal, and laundered it. //

The defense asked for a break because "the accusation against Kocharyan is unclear". They wanted certain things to be clarified. It led to an argument and Kocharyan's lawyers stormed out of the room as a sign of protest. They were issued a $100 fine.

Kocharyan's ex-MFA Vardan Oskanyan was summoned to testify as a witness. Mining owner Silva Hambardzumyan said she had used Oskanyan as an intermediary to establish certain contacts with Kocharyan's aide Armen Gevorgyan. The defense lawyer said Oskanyan denies the claim.

Prosecutors: Businesswoman Hambardzumyan received an exploration license. Then, according to the 25 March 2008 agreement, she sold the company to a non-resident UAE-based firm for $40M. To receive permission, she contacted Vardan Oskanyan in late January to establish contacts with ranking officials, including Kocharyan, and agreed to pay a bribe so the sale wouldn't be blocked.

A few days later, Kocharyan's associates established contact with her through Vardan Oskanyan, informing her that Kocharyan aide Gevorgyan's friend Samvel Mayrapetyan will get in touch with her soon.

Mayrapetyan transferred $3M to Kocharyan. He received it in three installments: $1M in an apartment located on Amiryan St. on February 14; $1M in an office on Bayron St.; $1M via VTB bank which he later transferred to HSBC account.

That bank account belonged to Mayrapetyan's businessman nephew. Mayrapetyan took it from his nephew and transferred it to Kocharyan. Kocharyan's son Sedrak deposited into several bank accounts. //

Kocharyan is facing up to 12 years if found guilty.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075613.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075623.html https://factor.am/475796.html https://factor.am/476070.html https://youtu.be/Pcxvj-FteoY https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/231258

Tags: #Kocharyan #Hambardzumyan #bribery #mining

experts studied the practice of single-source procurement in Armenia

Experts studied the procurement processes in 2018-2020 as part of a "TAPP" program. Opposition figures have lately been complaining about the government making too many "shady purchases without proper auctions". Here are the findings:

Researcher Hayk Bejanyan: In 2020, there were ֏142B in purchases from a single source, which is a whopping 46% of the total. That share is only 13% in Georgia and even lower in other states. The goal of this research was to understand why.

What we learned is that the high number in Armenia is primarily due to the methodology that's being used.

Purchases from natural monopolies such as gas, electricity, and state-subsidized healthcare services are counted towards "single-source procurement", thus artificially inflating the number.

The vast majority of that ֏140B is a "noise". ֏102B were state-subsidized healthcare services. We filtered out the noise to identify areas of improvement. In some cases, it's natural to have a single-source procurement, but in others, it's best to diversify.

If we remove the noise, the "real" single-source procurement is ~15% in Armenia. It's still high compared to some other states. If our suggestions are implemented, it'll reduce to 8%.

There were ֏26B in single-source purchases that didn't fall under the usual categories that would normally warrant a single-source purchase. Further examination revealed that they were mostly COVID-related. In March 2020 the government had authorized pandemic-related purchases to be made from a single source due to the emergency.

If we take out COVID from the equation, too, we're left with ֏18B. It's still higher than in some countries and should be improved, but it's nowhere near the 46% that the official statistics make you believe. [some suggestions were made]

Another researcher: Natural monopolies such as gas/water/electricity account for 10% of single-source procurements, while state-subsidized healthcare services are ~72%. We need to work on the remaining 18% to diversify it. //

If you participate in an auction and lose, you can appeal it. Today, the appeal is basically handled by the "same building" that made the initial ruling. It raises the issue of conflict of interest, so the government wants to amend the appeals law so only the courts can handle the appeals. The problem is, courts are slower and cost more. Experts discussed risks associated with moving the appeals process from a government agency to the courts.

More: https://factor.am/475706.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075630.html https://youtu.be/p8RuXcCGXDA?t=325 https://factor.am/475914.html

Tags: #procurement

TLDR: Monday interview with Security Council chief Armen Grigoryan about Karabakh referendum & negotiations

Reporter: Shit's f---ed up on Russia-Ukraine border. What now?

Grigoryan: Azerbaijan could try to launch provocations on AM-AZ border if all the attention is on the RU-UA border. We discussed possible ways to prevent that with our Russian and Western partners.

Reporter: Will Armenia send help to Russia in case of war with Ukraine?

Grigoryan: We hope prudence will prevail. We insist that our partners seek diplomatic solutions. Armenia will play exclusively a constructive role.

Reporter: Turkey and Azerbaijan made it official that an attack on one country is an attack on the other. What does this mean under the context of the Karabakh war?

Grigoryan: That's why Russian peacekeepers are there. We're pushing OSCE to activate and help find a long-term solution.

Reporter: Some say Armenia needs to reduce security reliance on Russia after 2020. I understand this is a sensitive topic but is anything being done to balance things?

Grigoryan: We build our relations with Russia as a strategic partner but also with the West. Recently president Macron and Charles Michel organized a meeting with Pashinyan and Aliyev. We're working with Western partners to implement agreements, including the ones that were reached under Russian mediation. There have recently been meetings with India as well. But it's also about normalizing relations with countries like Turkey so we can achieve an era of peace despite the barriers.

Reporter: Pashinyan spoke about the diplomatic catastrophe in 2016. Serj responded saying the OSCE's 2016 documents did not cross Armenia's "red lines" and that there was supposed to be a referendum for independence.

Grigoryan: The best thing to do is to publish every negotiation document for everyone to see. The negotiation document was split into three parts: statement by presidents, statement by OSCE, and UN Security Council resolution.

If in 2011 Kazan documents the right to self-determination and interim status was a two-way thing, then in the 2016 "presidential statements" document there were no actions about the self-determination. It contains 8 articles with info on what to do with Karabakh, none of which is about the actual "realization" of the right to self-determination. The self-determination was partly moved to the "OSCE statement" portion of the document and partly to the "UNSC resolution" section, but Aliyev was not accepting any obligations. Armenia had sadly agreed for the interim status and self-determination parts to be mostly removed from the document. It became mostly about giving lands and deploying peacekeepers.

The interim status and right to self-determination were mentioned in more detail in the "OSCE statement" portion of the document. It was non-binding for Aliyev. OSCE would simply "aid" the process. There was nothing about "guaranteeing" that it would happen. What does "aiding" mean?

Armenia and Azerbaijan would still need to reach an agreement on the referendum terms. [right after Arabs and Israelis reach theirs, buddy]. Azerbaijan could easily say they want the referendum to take place in 50-100 years. There would never be a referendum. Azerbaijan could find an excuse every single time.

Reporter: Wasn't the international community going to force Azerbaijan to agree to the referendum?

Grigoryan: The international community's stance was that Armenia and Azerbaijan would need to agree on referendum terms themselves. The documents didn't even make it clear if the referendum would take place in Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast.

Reporter: But there was a part about the population ratio being per 1988 demographics stats, so that makes it clear that the referendum was meant to take place in Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast.

Grigoryan: That was in 2011 documents. Those ethnic ratio guarantees [didn't exist in 2016](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/sbyl40/jan242022_sarkissian_resigned_amid_international/) anymore. [Pashinyan about the topic: This provision about maintaining the ethnic ratio was removed after 2011. Serj made attempts to bring it back but it was "smeared" under a different logic. It wasn't restored in 2016. There were different sentences.]

Reporter: What now? Cyprus model?

Grigoryan: We want the eventual peace agreement to be signed under the OSCE framework. The resolution of the Karabakh conflict will allow us to sign a peace agreement. Our position remains that the referendum question should not have any limitations on what Karabakh's future status should look like.

Full: https://youtu.be/nXbBObya5Gg

UNESCO condemns "political instrumentalization of history" amid Azerbaijan's efforts to remove Armenian inscriptions from Armenian churches

Azeri authorities have plans to further distort the history by removing Armenian inscriptions from occupied Artsakh monuments in a bid to present them as "Caucasian Albanian".

Caucasian Albania was a state founded in the 11th century B.C. by a great Turkish warrior Genghis Khan who landed on the Moon and established the "Caucasian Albania" colony in an attempt to escape persecution by Armenian nakharars, say reliable historians familiar with the matter.

UNESCO is trying to send a mission to Artsakh. "We hope that it will be possible soon."

Reporter: World Court ordered Azerbaijan to take all necessary measures to prevent and punish acts of vandalism affecting Armenian cultural heritage. How does UNESCO assess the mentioned actions by the Azerbaijani government?

UNESCO: heritage and history shouldn’t be the subject of any political instrumentalization. We urge all our Member States, all over the world, to respect this principle. //

Several European Parliament MPs condemned Azerbaijani authorities for the proposed cultural vandalism.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075608.html https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1075608.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075649.html

Azeri authorities hope that Artsakh president Arayik Harutyunyan will be "soon be arrested"

There is a "you fired at our civilians" case against Harutyunyan in Azerbaijan, launched after the war.

LHK chief Marukyan responded: Azeri military officials should be careful not to get arrested in Europe and elsewhere. Sooner or later the Universal Jurisdiction will reach them.

Artsakh authorities press criminal charges against Azeri servicemen

Authorities: On December 29, a resident of Aygestan was traveling to a nearby village on foot when he lost his way and crossed the LoC. A group of Azeri servicemen assaulted him. A felony case is launched.

https://factor.am/475769.html https://factor.am/475956.html https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/231225

bill about occupied territories is drafted in Artsakh

Artsakh authorities have been urging Azerbaijan to return the occupied territories. A bill was drafted on February 4. The first hearing is tomorrow. It's about the legal status of lands occupied by Azerbaijan in 1991-1994, 2016, and 2020. That includes both Shahumyan regions, according to the ARF party in the Artsakh parliament.

Artsakh MFA Babayan: The bill will be a significant step in terms of settling the Artsakh issue and clarifying the approaches on determining the international status of Artsakh. The Parliament will hold discussions. The bill is comprehensive and involved different aspects. It is highly likely to be adopted due to bipartisan support. //

The bill was cleared. Parliament will discuss it during tomorrow's session.

MOD denies Azerbaijani claims about ceasefire violation

Azeri MOD circulated misinformation about shots being fired in northeastern and eastern directions, said MOD.

Russian peacekeepers intervene after Azeri soldiers fire shots at tractor operators in Artsakh

The incident happened near the Khramort community. The operators left after intervention by peacekeepers.

Artsakh soldier wounded in a ceasefire violation by Azerbaijan

He is in stable-serious condition. The peacekeepers were informed.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075581.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075594.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075639.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075648.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075651.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075654.html www.civilnet.am/news/650134/արցախում-օրենքով-բռնազավթած-կհամարվեն-նաև-նախկին-լղիմ-ին-հարակից-տարածքները/

update: Russian parliament adopts a resolution that urges Putin to recognize the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk regions

EU and NATO aren't happy. "It'll be a violation of international norms and the Minsk protocols."

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/02/15/russian-parliament-backs-plan-to-recognize-breakaway-ukrainian-regions-a76381 https://factor.am/475949.html https://factor.am/476043.html

EU thanked Azerbaijan for being a "reliable energy supplier" amid Russian army deployment on the Ukraine border

https://factor.am/475799.html

Russia accelerates efforts to increase influence on ex-USSR states

CIS republics will soon convene a session to discuss whether the CIS, in its entirety, should become a CSTO military bloc "observer".

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075637.html

TLDR: interview with 2020 War Commission chief Andranik Kocharyan

The context is explained in detail [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/sso9nr/daily_digest_feb142022_war_commission_session/). The opposition said they are boycotting it because they wanted to be the ones to form and lead the Commission "to ensure objective investigation".

Reporter: Is there a big difference between the ruling and opposition parties' abilities within the Commission?

Commission chief: No. Everyone is an MP. We are one body that investigates events.

Reporter: Ruling party has more members. You could vote to approve the final document even if the opposition disagrees.

Commission chief: Opposition members, if they disagree with the conclusion, can attach their special opinion. It's part of the report. It tells the reader if there are disagreements. We, too, were outnumbered during the March 1st investigation, but our special report is what allowed for March 1st case not to close forever back then.

Reporter: If we're doing this to give answers to the public, and it's going to be heavily redacted due to classified info, what's the point?

Commission chief: It's not just for showing it to the public. The state needs to understand what its weaknesses are. Kennedy assassination investigation is classified until the 40s but the US agencies have access so they will understand the shortcomings. Armenia needs to improve its institutes that proved to be in poor shape during the war.

Reporter: The opposition left the Commission, then returned, then left again by saying they aren't leaving "permanently" and that they could return if it's expedient. So are they in the Commission?

Commission chief: Are they tourists?

Reporter: It's their right to stay or leave.

Commission chief: It was an order from their leaders Robert Kocharyan and Serj Sargsyan. I have requested for the opposition alliances' official stance whether they will participate or not.

Reporter: The opposition disagreed with your decision to invite some of the military experts (including Gen. Samvel Babayan and airforce guy Artsrun Hovhannisyan). Could the opposition bring its own experts?

Commission chief: They could present their own, but instead, they chose to մուննաթ. The families of deceased soldiers will be invited. We owe them answers. Opposition leaders deprived their own MP Gegham Nazaryan, who lost his son in the war, from first-hand ability to get answers. I spoke with him days earlier; he wanted to participate. I suppose their leaders later blocked their participation. But it's OK, other parents will participate.

Full: https://youtu.be/FJ93OBXaJsE

IRS's anti-corruption raid uncovers $3M in customs fraud

IRS reports: A group of suspects registered shell businesses to help legitimate businesses evade taxes. They split cargo volumes on the border then merged them upon clearance. They imported clothing and phone accessories from Russia. //

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075596.html

Anti-Corruption Committee busted an Urban Development agency official

ACC reports: Urban Development & Fire Safety Inspection official found violations in a parking facility in Tashir (Lori) and demanded a bribe in exchange for ignoring it. Similar bribery incidents happened while inspecting passenger transport firms. The inspector is under arrest. //

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075619.html

egg prices are dropping in Armenia amid oversupply

You can buy one for ֏35 (7 cents) in some supermarkets. Good for consumers (for now), bad for small and medium egg businesses who are racking up losses. They want quotas.

Aramus poultry factory: Supply outpaces demand by 2x at the moment. There is dumping in the market. The production value of one egg is ֏55 today, yet manufacturers are selling it below-cost for ֏27, and supermarkets sell it to consumers for ֏35.

It started from one poultry factory that entered the market recently. They don't have a distribution network so they're trying to break others.

SMEs have chicken food enough for only two more weeks. Unless prices increase, they'll have to slaughter them. We need state intervention. //

Competition Protection Commission has launched an investigation. They busted several egg manufacturers last year.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075592.html

soldiers will read books for children during Book Fair on February 18-19

Khnko Aper Children's Library will hold an event this weekend. The Best Readers will receive awards. International IBBY non-profit will send representatives.

A new event titled "Your first book" will be organized; newborn babies and their mothers will receive books.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075605.html

court orders Armenia's Alex Jones to pay a defamation fine and retract a claim about Nikol & his team secretly taking $48M from Turkey and Azerbaijan

Armenia's ambassador to U.S. Lilith Makunts won a defamation lawsuit against opposition figure Garnik Isagulyan, who is known to make outlandish claims and threats against Pashinyan administration members.

Garnik will have to pay a $900 fine and issue retraction on multiple outlets over his claims made immediately after the war.

The claim was that Pashinyan, Makunts, and several people whom the opposition often targets, had secretly smuggled $48 million from Georgia and that the 2018 revolution was financed by Turkey and Azerbaijan.

https://factor.am/475743.html

COVID stats

5.4k tested. 1.3k infected. 3.5k healed. 15 deaths.

75% of infected and 82% of hospitalized people are unvaccinated.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075589.html https://factor.am/475876.html

youth leukemia in Armenia

80-100 residents under the age of 18 are diagnosed with cancer every year. 40% is leukemia. Armenia is using the German BFM therapy with an almost 80% success rate.

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/231217

10-year-old jaguar Jago dies at Yerevan Zoo

Director: Jaguar had difficulty breathing in the past few days. The antibiotics helped it become active and eat again, before the sudden death.

The jaguar was brought from Georgia in 2013. It was displayed for 3 years before being isolated in the quarantine facility in 2016. This facility had serious heating issues. //

Specialists were called to look into the cause of death. The director believes it was broncho-pneumonia. Lab results will come back later this week.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075602.html

the new Repatriation Integration Center is based on Israeli experience

Context: government approved the formation of a new Center where diasporans can receive "high-quality, affordable, and fast services with the one-window principle". A single multilingual resource center to help with documents, bringing personal property, transferring a business, military service, legal & taxation, bank transfers & finances, and emergency assistance if needed.

RIC administration: We studied the international and Israeli experience. They have a successful model. RIC will provide practical assistance with docs, residency, citizenship, household item transfers, education, etc.

Diaspora Office is already doing this but RIC will expand the efforts with more services. Free education, forums, job fairs for the repatriates. RIC agent will work with the repatriate before their arrival to Armenia.

Info about repatriation will be digitized. All existing problems will be surfaced and addressed.

RIC office will be in downtown Yerevan. Ready in a few months. Every year we receive ~3,000 inquiries from prospective repatriates. Lately, they are mainly from Lebanon, Iran, Georgia, the US, France, and Argentina. //

More: https://youtu.be/MrVgDAseZns https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075621.html

multi-profile shopping center will open in Moscow to help the entry of Armenian producers to Russian market: Economy Minister

Ministry is working with the Armenian Businessmen Association. They presented the Bukhta Yug retail-wholesale multi-profile trade center's branch in Yerevan.

Kerobyan: The development of the Armenian infrastructure in different countries is important for increasing reach. I welcome the creation of the Bukhta Yug shopping center, where Armenian products can be sold on the Russian market without risks. Bukhta Yug is a huge trading platform where one can sell Armenian agricultural products both wholesale and retail on favorable terms.

Tashir Group: Armenian agricultural producers and exporters have always faced this problem, so Tashir chairman Samvel Karapetyan ordered the creation of an economic trade zone open to Armenian producers. Today, one of the largest shopping centers in Moscow has already been purchased, and we have prepared interesting offers for Armenian manufacturers and exporters.

Bukhta Yug rep. in Yerevan: Today, we have two centers already operating in Moscow. Food, wholesale, furniture, etc. More than 100,000 goods are presented in each center. The third center will open in Moscow in September.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075655.html https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1075655.html

Tags: #ApricotWar

Georgia is rebuilding the road that connects to Armenia

Parts of the Ponichala-Marneuli-Guguti road is being rebuilt. It's the shortest road connecting Kvemo Kartili, Armenia, and Tbilisi. Ready by October [spin the wheel to pick the year].

https://factor.am/475955.html

Armenian-made "Mankan" toys are now available in Canada

... announced the embassy today. It's distributed by Reptilia, which is apparently a zoo operator in Canada(?). The Armenian toys are animal-themed, so it's a good match.

https://www.facebook.com/ArmEmbCan/posts/4653577344769134 https://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/298481/

cameras captured wolves and bears in Khosrov and Kapan forests

Wolf pack https://youtu.be/4kP6igM8Tr0

Mama and cub https://youtu.be/Fq36RV2QsU0

today in history

1564: Italian scientist Galileo Galilei is born.

1794: France adopts its national flag.

1965: Canada adopts its current national flag after switching from a heavily British-themed one.

1923: Greece becomes the last country to adopt the Gregoryan calendar.

1989: Soviet troops finish Afghanistan withdrawal.

1999: After a massive drama, Kurdish rebel leader [Abdullah Ocalan is arrested in Kenya](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/daily/feb99/ocalanturkey18.htm) and extradited to Turkey.

2011: Lybian civil war begins.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075572.html

Kim Kardashian is concerned about her boyfriend's physical safety amid threats from Kanye West 🍿

The drama unfolds on daily basis now. Kim is worried someone will hurt Pete because of Kanye's rants.

Kim: U are creating a dangerous and scary environment and someone will hurt Pete and this will all be your fault

Kanye: UPON MY WIFE’S REQUEST PLEASE NOBODY DO ANYTHING PHYSICAL TO [Pete] IM GOING TO HANDLE THE SITUATION MYSELF. [Like... beating him yourself?]

Kim: There are dangerous people out there and this is scary and it doesn’t have to be

Kanye: I will always do everything to protect you and our family forever. And I listened to you and told everyone to make sure nothing physical happens to [Pete]. //

Kanye went on to attempt to bribe Pete's co-worker at the SNL show so he would stop working with Pete. The co-worker rejected the double-salary offer, saying he would never betray a friend.

... Kanye's personal life keeps falling apart

Kanye recently lost his friend Kid Cudi after making an unsuccessful ultimatum. He wanted Kudi to end his friendship with Kim's loverboy Pete as a sign of loyalty to Kanye.

On Monday we learned that he just broke up with his girlfriend Julia Fox after dating for just 2 months, amid his social media tirades. They remain "good friends". Kanye was lately seen dating women that physically resemble Kim.

The same day, Kanye send a truck full of roses to Kim's house as a Valentine's Day gift.

https://pagesix.com/2022/02/14/kim-kardashian-allegedly-worried-about-pete-davidson-because-of-kanye-west/ https://www.tmz.com/2022/02/14/kanye-west-and-julia-fox-break-up-split/ https://pagesix.com/2022/02/14/julia-fox-and-kanye-west-break-up-after-his-social-media-tirade/ https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/michael-che-counters-kanye-west-154033226.html https://nypost.com/2022/02/14/why-no-one-should-date-kanye-west/

more

The news in русский (by Impossible-Ad-).

News archive: http://www.armeniapedia.org/wiki/Daily_Anti-Corruption_Reports Donations: soldiers' families, humanitarian aid, US tax-deductible donation.

The accused are innocent unless proven guilty in the court of law, even if they "appear" guilty.

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Link to original report and comments: https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/stcvk4/news_feb152022_kochayrans_bribery_trial_reaches/