Legislation needs to be changed so that one can use existing  loopholes to evade punishment - MP

ArmInfo. Following the events of October 27, 1999, systemic corruption has emerged in Armenia. This  was stated by Andranik Kocharyan, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Security, from the podium of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia on March 5 during a discussion of the Anti-Corruption Committee's report on the work done last year.

According to Andranik Kocharyan, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun party, led by  second President of the Republic of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, is the  perpetrator of systemic corruption. The MP stated that he has always  been personally interested in the connection between the second  president and the ARF. Either Robert Kocharyan is a member of this  political force, or there are other connections that need to be  uncovered.

Andranik Kocharyan noted that before moving to Armenia, Robert  Kocharyan owned nothing, but today, according to investigative  bodies, he owns numerous properties and financial resources. The same  situation is observed with other former officials. However, despite  the obvious facts, all these individuals have yet to be punished, and  the constant delays in the trials raise doubts as to whether they  will be punished at all. "I am personally surprised by the fact that  the court rejected the prosecutor's office's claim against former  Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Movses Hakobyan,  demanding the return of 4.5 billion drams to the state. I called the  Supreme Judicial Council for clarification, but they told me the  court's refusal was due to the expiration of the statute of  limitations. But there are thieves, right? We need to change the  legislation so that no one can exploit existing loopholes to evade  punishment," the head of the parliamentary committee noted, recalling  that the trial in the March 1 case is still ongoing.

The deputy noted that previously, those supposed to fight corruption,  especially in the law enforcement system, were themselves mired in  it. There wasn't a single investigator, customs or tax service  director, who didn't own several houses and bank accounts, which  testifies to systemic corruption.

As a reminder, yesterday, while presenting the report,  Anti-Corruption Committee Chairman Artur Nahapetyan reported that in  2025, the committee's investigators reviewed 2,585 criminal cases, of  which 890 were completed. Of the completed cases, 273 were  transferred to court with indictments against 661 individuals, and  617 were dismissed. Compared to 2024, the number of cases reviewed in  2025 increased by 12.9%, while the number of cases completed  increased by 4.8%. In 2025, 298 public servants, including former  officials, were prosecuted in criminal cases brought to court with  indictments. 590 individuals were arrested in criminal cases reviewed  by the Anti-Corruption Committee.

The head of the committee detailed criminal cases related to a number  of expropriated land plots and property, noting that in some cases,  the expropriation was carried out illegally.

"The investigation in this area is entering a new phase. We will soon  provide a legal assessment of the actions of the officials who  promptly expropriated these land plots. The legal process will begin,  and the public will be duly informed," noted Artur Nahapetyan.