Mining companies licensing process should be transparent- Davit Harutyunyan
08.06.2016,
16:05
The process of licensing of mining companies should be as transparent as possible, Davit Harutyunyan, the chief of government staff, told reporters today, in response to their request to comment on a corruption scandal in this sector.
YEREVAN, June 8. /ARKA/. The process of licensing of mining companies should be as transparent as possible, Davit Harutyunyan, the chief of government staff, told reporters today, in response to their request to comment on a corruption scandal in this sector.
Recent stories in Armenian mass media predicted ‘huge troubles’ for former minister of nature protection Aram Harutyunyan, who serves now as head of the State Water Committee. According to these stories, in 2015 Armenia’s Special Investigative Service launched an investigation into a report by entrepreneur Silva Hambardzumyan, who claimed that in return for obtaining licenses to operate 10 mines in 2008, she gave minister Aram Harutyunyan a $14 million bribe.
But later Armenia’s minister of energy and natural resources Armen Movsisyan suspended the licenses, and Aram Harutyunyan "washed his hands." After failing to get her money back Silva Hambardzumyan reported the bribery case to law enforcement agencies.
Armenian newspapers quoted sources close to the investigation as saying that the investigators had obtained some evidence supporting Ms. Hambardzumyan’s allegation. The ministry of nature protection responded to the media reports calling the stories unfounded, saying when the bribe was ostensibly given Aram Harutyunyan did not work as minister.
"I think that the comments on this issue should be given by law enforcement agencies. I personally believe that the licensing process should be as transparent as possible, and economic entities should bear social and environmental responsibility,' said Harutyunyan. -0-
Recent stories in Armenian mass media predicted ‘huge troubles’ for former minister of nature protection Aram Harutyunyan, who serves now as head of the State Water Committee. According to these stories, in 2015 Armenia’s Special Investigative Service launched an investigation into a report by entrepreneur Silva Hambardzumyan, who claimed that in return for obtaining licenses to operate 10 mines in 2008, she gave minister Aram Harutyunyan a $14 million bribe.
But later Armenia’s minister of energy and natural resources Armen Movsisyan suspended the licenses, and Aram Harutyunyan "washed his hands." After failing to get her money back Silva Hambardzumyan reported the bribery case to law enforcement agencies.
Armenian newspapers quoted sources close to the investigation as saying that the investigators had obtained some evidence supporting Ms. Hambardzumyan’s allegation. The ministry of nature protection responded to the media reports calling the stories unfounded, saying when the bribe was ostensibly given Aram Harutyunyan did not work as minister.
"I think that the comments on this issue should be given by law enforcement agencies. I personally believe that the licensing process should be as transparent as possible, and economic entities should bear social and environmental responsibility,' said Harutyunyan. -0-
