The National Security Service of RA, considering the fight against various manifestations of corruption as one of the priorities, as a result of operational and search measures and investigative activities undertaken within the functions – vested upon it by the law – aimed at countering corruption, detected a case of receiving a bribe in especially large amount, through extortion, by a number of officials of Yerevan Municipality, during 2012-2015.

According to the received factual information, the person who previously held the post of deputy head of Arabkir administrative district of Yerevan, in 2013, offered the representative of an economic entity engaged in real estate development to obtain from him for AMD 62 million, significantly lower than market price, one of the boiler-houses on Vagharshyan street – boiler-house with an area of 377 m², privatized by the relative of the abovementioned official, worth USD 300.000 – for the construction of an apartment building. In exchange for the mentioned transaction, the official also offered to allocate apartments, commerce rooms and 4 parking places – total 500 m² area, equivalent to USD 430.000 – of the yet-to-be-built apartment building to a number of competent officials of Yerevan Municipality as a bribe, otherwise threatening on their behalf to impede to the extent possible, within official authorities, the entrepreneurial activities of the economic entity.

In order to protect the rights and legal interests infringed as a result of an extortion, the representative of an economic entity forcibly agreed and, after having built an apartment building on the noted area bought for USD 120.000 in cash, in 2015-2017 delivered the demanded real estate, as a bribe in especially large amount, to the extortionists, concluding purchase and sale agreements with their indicated persons.

In connection with an apparent incident of crime, a criminal case has been initiated in the Investigation Department of the NSS of RA; preliminary investigation goes on, measures are being taken to detect and prosecute all the persons involved in the criminal chain.

Note: The suspect or accused of an alleged crime is considered innocent as long as his/her guilt is not proven in a manner prescribed by the Code of Criminal Procedure of RA - by the court decision entered into legal force.