Thursday, July 19 2018 19:04

ArmInfo. Ex-chairman of the Microentrepreneurship Development Foundation Gagik Vardanyan, raised a question on corruption schemes in the Kamurj UCC on July 20 at a  press conference.

"I believe that I have every reason to state that the former  President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, former Prime Minister of Armenia  Tigran Sargsyan, and the Chairman of the Central Bank of the Republic  of Armenia Artur Javadyan participated in this process. I am only now  talking about this, as the process of the collapse of the corrupt  system is under way in Armenia. What Nikol Pashinyan started has high  hopes, especially for us - the victims in this matter," he stressed.

Before moving on to the history itself, G. Vardanyan noted that the  fund's assets exceeded $ 30 million, in its 16 branches with about  270 employees. Assistance was provided to about 20,000 needy families  throughout Armenia. Moreover, the Fund, being a charitable  organization not pursuing the goal of profit, was included in the  list of 300 largest taxpayers in Armenia. "Every year, having an  income of 750 million AMD, today the organization is working at a  loss," Vardanyan stated.

According to him, when the organization achieved unprecedented  results, in particular, international recognition, for 10 years of  its activity in Armenia, the Fund turned out to be on the radar  screen of the former authorities. "The consequences did not take long  to wait," Vardanyan continued. In 2009, according to the order of the  RA Ministry of Finance, as the former head of the Fund noted,  groundless inspections began "for reasons that have nothing in common  with the Fund's activities. We have not used any budgetary funds  since the foundation of the Fund. In addition to paying taxes, there  were no interactions with the state," he explained.

Hayk Davtyan, the chief consultant of the Ministry of Finance,  Vardanyan told, attempted to persuade to dissolve the Foundation  Council, in order to appoint "their" people. "And they told me that I  will continue to work quietly," he stressed. G. Vardanyan did not go  to the set conditions, after which followed an act from the Ministry  of Finance, where a fine of 1.5 billion AMD was put against the Fund.  "I appealed this act to the Administrative Court, where I presented a  number of documents, in particular, on behalf of the Chairman of the  Central Bank of Armenia, which indicated that our Foundation does not  need licensing.  However, according to the decision of the  administrative court, the act remained in force," he said. Further,  according to the ex-chairman, with the mediation of the Ministry of  Finance, a special investigative committee was involved in the case,  which brought charges, where Vardanyan was threatened with 4 to 8  years of imprisonment.

During the same period, an invitation was received for a conversation  from Artur Javadyan (head of the Armenian Central Bank - Ed.) On the  issue of the change of Council members, in addition to the above-  mentioned persons, Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan and Chairman  of the Court of Cassation Arman Mkrtumyan were involved. Further,  Vardanyan cites the words of the incumbent chairman of the Central  Bank of Armenia: "We understand the importance of the organization  created by you. This is the work you have done. Quite normal  structure, a normally working AMD portfolio. If this person was not  involved (referring to Vardanyan), this organization would collapse.  You will enter the family of the Central Bank.  Thus, you will have  no problems. We will solve all problems concerning litigations. I  will not allow a criminal case against a person from our system.  These are the words of the chairman of the Central Bank, who has  nothing to do with the Fund, but works with financial organizations,"  Vardanyan said.

Afterwards, according to Vardanyan, members of the Council were  invited who faced the fact - if they did not leave their positions,  then a similar charge would be brought against them. "Naturally, they  withdrew, and a new Council was formed," he stressed, noting that  Vardan Aramyan (former head of the RA Ministry of Finance and former  deputy minister of the department - Ed.) was appointed to the new  team, who was appointed chairman of this council, the first deputy  chairman of the Chess Federation Smbat Lputyan and the deputy Chess  Federation Gagik Gevorgyan became members of the council. After that,  new members appeared - Sona Gharibyan - head of the Internal Audit  Department of the RA Ministry of Finance and SRC deputy Tigran  Barseghyan.

Thus, having received a carte blanche, the Central Bank of Armenia  very quickly, in 2010, on behalf of the Fund registered UCC Kamurj,  whose director is appointed by G. Vardanyan. "When the council  consisted of "their" people, because of the reason for the absence of  grounds, the criminal case instituted against me in the special  committee of the Committee was suspended," he stressed.

However, the duties of the director were strictly limited. "I was not  even allowed to keep a seal in my possession. I had no right to say  something, if, for example, the loan was doubtful, or unintended. The  Foundation's charter changed, the means of which were used for other  purposes," he explained. In particular, about 300 million AMD were  simply donated to the "Luys" Fund, etc. After, according to  Varadanyan, the proposal was made to change the post of director to  the position of a member of the Council. "I, naturally, for objective  reasons, refused. After,  on "significant changes in working  conditions" they dismissed me.

In that current situation, in March 2017, G. Vardanyan appealed to  the court of first instance, but the court refused. "I plan to appeal  to the court of appeals, to law enforcement agencies, in particular,  to the NSS, so that justice prevail," he said. G. Vardanyan noted  that his only demand is to give an opportunity to restore this  microfinance institution, which, according to him, is mired in  corruption, bad management, which in turn led to a decrease in all  indicators. "I am sorry for the organization that I gave 20 years of  my life," he concluded.

The "Microentrepreneurship Development Charitable Foundation" was  founded in 2000, the founders of which were the American  organizations Save the Children and the Catholic Aid Service,  combining their microfinance projects started in 1998 with the goal  of creating a financially sustainable and professional organization  in Armenia aimed at reducing poverty. For 10 years, the Fund has  supported in every possible way micro and small entrepreneurs,  farmers, women and the most vulnerable segments of society.