Alen Simonyan: Everyone is equal in front of the law

ArmInfo. Our government has one  main principle - everyone is equal before the law. On April 28, Alain  Simonyan, the vice-speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia, said  this in an interview with reporters, answering a question about a  criminal case against the director of "Multi Group" company, and  possible connection of everything that happens with the head of the  PAP party Gagik Tsarukyan.

Simonyan, in particular, noted: "In connection with the accusation, I  do not want to say anything yet. We will wait and see, I, in turn,  want to wish Gagik Tsarukyan a good day>.

As for the accusation of the son-in-law of the former President of  Armenia Mikael Minasyan, as well as criticism of the latter against  the current authorities of the country, the vice speaker noted:  <Mikael Minasyan, Serzh Sargsyan and a number of representatives of  the previous government are engaged in the same practice. Knowing  that a criminal case will be instituted against them, they begin to  engage in political activities. They think that this will give them  the opportunity to avoid responsibility>.

It should be noted that the general director of the "Multi Group"  concern belonging to the head of Prosperous Armenia Gagik Tsarukyan  is accused of giving a bribe in the amount of $ 22,401,000 to the  former head of the State Duma Gagik Khachatryan. According to the  National Security Council of the Republic of Armenia, in the  framework of the criminal case under investigation on abuses by a  number of senior officials of the State Revenue Committee of the  Republic of Armenia, factual evidence was obtained that the general  director of this concern, included in the list of largest taxpayers  of Armenia, passed this bribe to the post of head of the State Duma  and then the Minister of Finance (Gagik Khachatryan - ed.).  As  ArmInfo previously reported, on April 24 it became known about the  detention of the General Director of Multi Group Concern LLC Sedrak  Arustamyan, which was connected with the case being investigated by  the SNB regarding the former head of the State Duma Gagik  Khachatryan.

Arustamyan was charged under Article 315.1 of the RA Criminal Code  (not stopping the unauthorized seizure of state or communal property,  as well as not stopping the construction of unauthorized buildings,  structures and not destroying illegal structures). The case concerns  the construction of a hotel complex in the capital's street Abovyan  in violation of the laws. In addition, Arustamyan, for tax evasion  and money laundering, was charged as a defendant in a case of abuse  during the construction of the North-South highway. Meanwhile, Gagik  Khachatryan himself is accused of embezzlement on an especially large  scale and abuse of office. Gagik Khachatryan and his relative Karen  Khachatryan (former KGD employee), who is also involved in this case,  were detained on August 27 last year. He was charged under Part 2 of  Article 308 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia  (Misappropriation or embezzlement of funds on an especially large  scale) and part 2 of Article 308 of the Criminal Code of the Republic  of Armenia (Abuse of official authority entailing reckless  consequences).