The Chairman of the RA State Revenue Committee Eduard Hakobyan clarified the nature of the tax charge brought against the leader of the “Prosperous Armenia” party Gagik Tsarukyan, also referring to the political context of the activation of the legal process in the post-election period.

In the briefing held after the government session on June 11, the SRC chairman informed that the criminal case initiated against Tsarukyan refers to the concealment of particularly large amounts of taxes in the field of diesel fuel import and sale. Eduard Hakobyan According to him, the investigated episodes cover the period of 2019 or 2024, but the actual criminal case was initiated a long time ago.

According to him, now the Investigative Committee has just reached a milestone, when an objective need to charge has arisen. On June 9, it became officially known about the initiation of public criminal prosecution against the PAP leader.

To the journalists’ question whether the indictment immediately after the parliamentary elections is a coincidence and whether it is related to the prime minister during the pre-election campaign Nikol Pashinyan with the warnings issued, the head of SRC noted that it is difficult to consider it a coincidence.

Hakobyan explained that the head of the government is naturally aware of the current legal processes, therefore, when making similar statements, he relies on the available factual data, which makes these campaign emphasis completely logical.

Let’s remind that earlier information was spread in the Armenian media that it was against the background of criminal prosecution Gagik Tsarukyan tried to leave the country. Speaker of the “Prosperous Armenia” party Iveta Tonoyan categorically denied these rumors, describing them as news speculation. According to his explanation, the leader of the party had previously planned a two-day short trip with the lady, exclusively for personal and family purposes.

According to Tonoyan, at the passport control point of the airport, when the employees informed about the need to clarify some circumstances, the politician, in order to avoid unnecessary comments, voluntarily refused to leave and returned home. This incident took place in the context of the criminal case initiated against Tsarukyan and the establishment of an official ban on his absence from the country by law enforcement agencies.

—