Armenian PM’s spokesperson on the Ucom issue: “They managed a mafia-like system”

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Spokesperson Mane Gevorgyan has issued a statement, commenting on the remarks by Chairman of Ucom Board of Directors Gurgen Khachatryan.

In particular, Mane Gevorgyan said:

“According to the information in the Armenian Government’ possession, Gagik Khachatryn and his sons managed for many years a corrupt, mafia-like system in Armenia, through it accumulating illegally a fortune of several hundred millions of dollars. The Prime Minister considers that all that stolen money must be returned.

As for Ucom, the disposal of its shares can be done only with agreement of the Armenian Government, according to the law. After a dispute broke out between the shareholders and the change in the ranks of shareholders turned up on the agenda, the government decided that the sale of the Khachatryans’ shares could take place only if the whole revenue from that deal was transferred to the state budget of Armenia. This is the stance of the government now as well.

I would also like to note that according to the information in the Armenian Government’ possession, Serzh Sargsyan’s son-in-law Mikayel Minasyan also played a role in the unlawful origin on Ucom and some part of the Khachatryan family’s shares de jure belongs to Mikayel Minasyan.”