Former Armenian President Charged With Embezzlement

The HHK has also alleged political motives behind most of these high-profile cases. The authorities deny that. They claim to have already eradicated “systemic” government corruption which they say was one of the main foundations of Sargsyan’s regime.

Vahagn Hovakimian, a senior member of Pashinyan’s My Step alliance, also denied on Thursday any connection between the accusation and Sargsyan’s first public speech delivered since his dramatic resignation in April 2018. He said the ex-president addressed a congress of the European People’s Party in Croatia on November 20 in anticipation of his indictment.

“The guy positioned himself so as to say ‘look, there is political persecution,’” claimed Hovakimian. “In Armenia, nobody will be subjected to political persecution anymore, at least as long as our political force is in government.”

Edmon Marukian, the leader of the opposition Bright Armenia Party (LHK), also said that he sees no political motives behind the high-profile case. Instead of alleging such motives, the HHK and its leader should make detailed statements on the embezzlement charge itself, he said.

“They freely speak up and freely engage in political activities and will continue to do so,” added Marukian. He also stressed the fact that Sargsyan was not arrested despite predictions to the contrary made by the ex-president’s entourage in recent months.

But Gevorg Petrosian, a senior parliamentarian representing Prosperous Armenia (BHK), the other opposition party represented in the parliament, did not exclude that Sargsyan is prosecuted for political reasons. He too pointed to Sargsyan’s November 20 speech, saying that it “could not have pleased the authorities.”