Monday, June 15 2020 11:15

ArmInfo. The scandalous  statement by the head of the Prosperous Armenia party Gagik Tsarukyan  about the need for a complete change of government was due to the  completion of the investigation of criminal cases against him. Chief  of Staff of the Prime Minister of Armenia Eduard Aghajanyan wrote  about this on his Facebook page.

He refuted the statements of Gagik Tsarukyan's supporters about  political persecution, stressing that in Armenia everyone is equal  before the law.

Yesterday, the National Security Service conducted searches in the  mansion of the oligarch and leader of the Prosperous Armenia party  Gagik Tsarukyan, after which he was summoned for questioning by the  NSS.  Law enforcement authorities suspect him of illegal  entrepreneurial activity in the field of gambling, as a result of  which the damage caused to the state amounted to $ 60 million, as  well as in bribery of voters in 2017 and illegal appropriation of  land in the village of Arinj, Kotayk region. After the interrogation,  the head of the party stated that he continued to consider the  criminal case against him a political persecution, and that he had no  connection with the management of the companies attributed to him. 

"All actions were political. There are papers, rigged papers. If all  this was after my statement, then all of them are political," he said  in an interview with reporters. According to Tsarukyan, an  investigation is underway, and the media can appeal to the relevant  authorities. "I can only say that I am the owner, and is not  connected with management," he added.  To recall, the process of  searches and interrogation was accompanied by a protest rally by  supporters of the businessman. Periodically, law enforcement officers  delivered protesters to police departments, where administrative  proceedings were conducted on violations of the state of emergency  caused by the COVID- 19 pandemic.  "Prosperous Armenia" has the  second largest faction in the National Assembly after the ruling "My  Step" bloc, with 25 mandates. In the first place - the ruling faction  "My Step" of 88 madates, "" Bright Armenia" has 18 seats.