Vigen Sargsyan reacted to the report of the Investigative Committee  about his possible criminal prosecution

ArmInfo.Former Minister  of Defense of Armenia Vigen Sargsyan made a statement in connection  with the information spread yesterday by the Investigative Committee  of Armenia that there is sufficient evidence to attract him as an  accused of exceeding official powers.

"I learned from the press that it is planned to bring me to the  status of the accused within the framework of the criminal case being  investigated by the Investigative Committee. The matter concerns  violations allegedly committed in the distribution of housing for the  military. I believe that disseminating such information in the press  before official notification of the person involved grossly violates,  at least all the norms of morality and ethics.

The investigating authorities, without giving the opportunity to  speak as a witness, are taking steps that pursue political goals. It  was highly anticipated and predictable. Obviously, the main goal of  this process is to strike another blow at the prestige of the  Armenian armed forces and the leadership of the army, "Vigen Sargsyan  wrote on his Facebook page.

According to the former Minister of Defense, he repeatedly reported  on his whereabouts; his email, official website and phone number are  known to law enforcement agencies.

At the same time, he informed that he had hired a lawyer to represent  him in further trials, since he could not interrupt his studies in  the USA. "The process, form and content raise a lot of questions. I  am outraged, but at the same time calm, because people associated  with the distribution of apartments, including those who received and  did not receive housing, are well aware that this process was carried  out in accordance with the requirements of the law according to clear  principles and criteria. The entire process and oversight was carried  out by the appropriate commission, guided in its decisions by the  principle of priority for the military who have passed the military  path, "the former minister wrote.

At the same time, he assured that the housing issues of the military,  military disabled people and the families of the dead military were  always in the center of his attention and the department headed by  him, and steps were taken that were well known to the public. He also  recalled that within a few months the housing issue of the dissabled  military of the first group and the families of the dead soldiers who  did not have housing was resolved, and an ultra-affordable housing  lending program for military personnel was introduced.  To recall,  the Investigative Committee of Armenia on Wednesday issued a  statement according to which the former Minister of Defense of  Armenia Vigen Sargsyan will be charged in a criminal case on the fact  of abuse of office by officials of the Ministry of Defense and the  armed forces.  Thus, according to the source, the Department for the  Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Main Military  Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Armenia in  the course of the investigation of the criminal case instituted under  Part 1 of Article 308 (Abuse of official powers) and Part 1 of  Article 309 (Excess of  authority) of the Criminal Code of Armenia  sufficient evidence was obtained to attract the former Minister of  Defense of Armenia Vigen Sargsyan as an accused on the fact of abuse  of authority. The case was opened on the fact of violation of the  procedure for providing apartments in an apartment building in  Yerevan at Hasratyan, 25/6 in January 2018, established by the  government decision of March 7, 2007 "On Housing for Servicemen of  the System of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia".