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Elnur Enveroglu

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Sometimes the face of life is so harsh and unfair that it is difficult to express it in words. Rich and poor, full and hungry, guilty and innocent, and what else...all these elements are reflected in a tableau called Armenian realities. This is a bitter reality that comes alive with time and the shades of history.

We would not be wrong if we say that bribery and corruption are the main pillars of the Armenian administration system. In 2018, when Nikol Pashinyan, who had a mediocre experience in the field of journalism, got the high seat of politics, many people described the future of the country in a mythical image created by the West – a country free of corruption. Everyone believed that everything from Armenia's administrative system to law, legislation, power structures, and defense system would operate in a transparent and orderly manner. Until the true potential of Armenia is revealed in 2020.

The country's situation dragged it further into the quagmire, and eventually, the puppet state, which was inserted like a wedge into the region, became a victim of corruption that undermined it from the inside.

The kingdom that Nikol Pashinyan won in the Velvet Revolution was actually thanks to former clan leaders who were notorious for corruption before him. The corrupt millionaires like Robert Kocharyan and Serjik Sargsyan, who were particularly involved in bribery, corruption, and embezzlement of state property, made Pashinyan's new image in power popular.

Everyone thought that the state budget was spent on the dreams of Armenia, and the only goal of the officials was to educate the generations by keeping the traditions of invading foreign lands alive. However, the bitterness of the 44-day war created conditions for the increase of deserters in the country and the emergence of corrupt gangs.

Now it becomes crystal clear why a soldier's parent is crying over the death of an Armenian soldier in someone else's land, that is, in Garabagh, which is Azerbaijan.

One is hungry, the other is full, one is usurping other people's land in a trench, and the other is filling his pockets by stealing from the state budget - look, this is the reality of Armenia.

Gurgen Arsenyan, a member of the Armenian parliament from the ruling Civil Contract faction, whose candidacy is being considered for the post of Armenian ambassador to Russia, owns 17 real estate properties, land plots and shares in various companies.

A standard question: Where does the new Armenian ambassador to the Russian Federation get all this?

On May 3, 2024, Arsenyan submitted an annual declaration of his property and income for 2023 to the Corruption Prevention Commission, which shows that the MP has significant wealth. In particular, he declared 17 real estate units, including buildings, structures, and land plots in Yerevan, Gyumri and Kotayk. He also owns 4 cars (Nissan, Bentley, Mercedes Benz, and Range Rover) and shares worth over 1 million rubles and 768 million drams.

Arsenyan is even close to leaving behind Bob Menedez, the US senator who was named the corruption hero of the United States with this move.

In addition, Arsenyan owns 16 expensive items, including a gold bar worth 32 million 55 thousand 700 drams, inventory purchased in 1995 for $370 thousand, a collection of paintings worth about 400 million drams, and collectible coins worth 18 million drams.

Arsenyan's cash amounted to 40 euros, $800,193, and 32,571 drams, which by the end of the year turned into 0 euros, $449,995.1 and 4 drams. Cash amounted to $628 thousand, 5.5 million drams, and 16,500 drams, which by the end of the year increased to $977,600 dollars, 6 million 780 thousand drams, and 58 thousand euros.

The ex-parliamentarian's annual income was 14 million 443 thousand 370 drams, of which 9 million 983 thousand 370 drams was his parliamentary salary. During the reporting period, Arsenyan's income included 2 million 300 thousand drams in dividends from Unicorn Group LLC.

The deputy has a stake in seven companies, including Vkredit24 LLC, Arsoil, Unicorn Service and Unicorn Group.

It is obvious that we have a classic example of a corrupt official abusing his powers for personal gain. Such people use their position to obtain illegal income, enriching themselves at the expense of the Armenian people. Corruption undermines the trust of Armenian citizens in the government and infringes on economic development and social justice. And it is not difficult to guess what Gurgen Arsenyan will do as the new Armenian ambassador to the Russian Federation.

Do you think it is just about one person? Of course, this is still the cover of the book, besides Gurgen, there are still corrupt politicians whose names can be written like a ‘saga’.

When you see them, the poor face of Nikol Pashinyan, who really needs India's useless weapons and Europe's 10 million military aid package, comes to mind. Armenia, unable to cope with the officials who loot billions of wealth of its state and people, is trying to protect itself through donations…

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Elnur Enveroglu is AzerNews’ deputy editor-in-chief, follow him on @ElnurMammadli1

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