 National Assembly allows arrest of lawmaker Gagik Tsarukyan June 16, 2020 - 18:10 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian National Assembly on Tuesday, June 16 voted unanimously to allow the arrest of lawmaker Gagik Tsarukyan, hours after stripping him from his parliamentary immunity and opening him to prosecution. The move comes amid a probe into businesses owned and run by Tsarukyan and several criminal cases involving the lawmaker. All the 87 members of parliament who cast their votes represent the ruling My Step bloc, headed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Opposition lawmakers from Bright Armenia and Tsarukyan's Prosperous Armenia parties did not participate in the vote. Security service officers conducted a search at Tsarukyan's residence for four hours on Sunday. The man who is considered the wealthiest person in Armenia was then questioned for nine hours, with four criminal cases launched towards the end of the day. According to the Security Service, a casino belonging to Tsarukyan has caused AMD 30 billion ($62 million) in damages to the state, while his party, Prosperous Armenia, handed out hundreds of millions of drams in election bribes in 2017.   Top stories For more than 10 days, observers of the European Union mission in Armenia have been conducting patrols. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his wife Anna Hakobyan left for Germany on a working visit on March 2-3. The European Union Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia, Toivo Klaar, has arrived in Yerevan. Hakob Arshakyan said it is unacceptable for Armenia that the CSTO PA establish relations with the PAs of the OIC and the OTS.   Partner news |  Latest news Team launches Speak Up platform to promote transparent practices  Team Telecom Armenia has launched the Speak Up platform, the company says in a statement.Ucom offers a new uDrift 3500 mobile internet tariff In order to join and activate the tariff plan, one should visit one of the Ucom sales and service centers.Armenia moves to ban foreign currency home loans The National Assembly has approved amendments to the law, which were submitted by lawmaker Gevorg Papoyan from the ruling Civil Contract party.Armenian serviceman who went missing in fog has been found The serviceman who went missing in the border areas of the southern province of Syunik has been found, the Defense Ministry said on March 2. |
