Lawyer: The case against Electric Networks of Armenia is politically  motivated

ArmInfo.  The case against the Electric Networks of Armenia company is politically motivated. Vardan Aloyan, lawyer for the Tashir Capital CJSC, the  company that currently owns the networks, stated this at  the RA  Public Services Regulatory Commission's a meeting. 

On behalf of the company, the lawyer demanded the removal of PSRC  Chairman Mesrop Mesropyan. This motion, the lawyer continued, would  ensure an impartial review of the possible revocation of ENA's  electricity distribution license. Aloyan believes that the current  chairman of the Commission cannot be considered an independent  arbitrator in this case, as he has close ties to the ruling Civil  Contract party.  Moreover, as a former member of the ruling party, he  supported the government's plans to nationalize the company. "He was  even nominated for the position of head of the PSRC not by the  government, as required by law, but during a party meeting in which  he participated," the lawyer emphasized, noting Mesropyan's family  ties to Sasun Mikaelyan, a member of the Civil Contract board. 

The lawyer recalled that the case against Electric Networks was  initiated following Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's  announcement about the need to investigate the company's activities.  Aloyan also mentioned the recent amendments  made to the law on the  Public Services Regulatory Commission recently, significantly  strengthening the powers of the PSRC chairperson. Specifically,  according to Article 36 of the law, the PSRC chairperson is granted  special powers, effectively allowing them to make key decisions  unilaterally, while essentially ignoring the opinions of other  commission members.