BHK lawmaker unveils ‘real’ price of Ararat cement plant
25.04.2019,
16:30
An Armenian Parliament member Mikael Melkumyan from the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) declined today accusations that the leader of the party Gagik Tsarukyan had privatized the Ararat Cement plant at only $200,000, much less than its real price.
YEREVAN, April 25. /ARKA/. An Armenian Parliament member Mikael Melkumyan from the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) declined today accusations that the leader of the party Gagik Tsarukyan had privatized the Ararat Cement plant at only $200,000, much less than its real price.
Hayk Gevorgyan, a senior lawmaker from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s My Step faction, told the parliament on April 19 that a company linked to Tsarukyan had privatized Ararat Cement for just $200,000 in 2002, although there were investors ready to pay $35 million. Gevorgyan also accused the company of evading taxes until last year’s “velvet revolution.”
Melkumyan explained today that the price of the plant included also all the obligations that Ararat Cement had accumulated and which should have been fulfilled. Thus, according to him, the $200 thousand were added by another $6.8 million- the plant’s debts for natural gas and electricity supplies.
"The entire energy system at the beginning of 2000 was in a state of crisis, and the plant’s debts were so great that the Hrazdan and Yerevan thermal power plants, the Armenian electrical networks were paralyzed by reciprocal debts," said Melkumyan.
According to him, Tsarukyan had to pay also another $2 million debt of public sector organizations. "If all this money is summed up, then we will get about $10 million," said the deputy.
Ararat Cement Plant is owned by Tsarukyan’s Multi Group concern. -0-
Hayk Gevorgyan, a senior lawmaker from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s My Step faction, told the parliament on April 19 that a company linked to Tsarukyan had privatized Ararat Cement for just $200,000 in 2002, although there were investors ready to pay $35 million. Gevorgyan also accused the company of evading taxes until last year’s “velvet revolution.”
Melkumyan explained today that the price of the plant included also all the obligations that Ararat Cement had accumulated and which should have been fulfilled. Thus, according to him, the $200 thousand were added by another $6.8 million- the plant’s debts for natural gas and electricity supplies.
"The entire energy system at the beginning of 2000 was in a state of crisis, and the plant’s debts were so great that the Hrazdan and Yerevan thermal power plants, the Armenian electrical networks were paralyzed by reciprocal debts," said Melkumyan.
According to him, Tsarukyan had to pay also another $2 million debt of public sector organizations. "If all this money is summed up, then we will get about $10 million," said the deputy.
Ararat Cement Plant is owned by Tsarukyan’s Multi Group concern. -0-
