NATIONAL UNITY PARTY TO CONTINUE PUBLISHING FACTS OF LARGE-SCALE CORRUPTION
Noyan Tapan
Mar 27 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The National Unity Party will soon
publish many facts of large-scale corruption and bribery. Alexan
Karapetian, Vice Chairman of the National Unity (NU) Party, Secretary
of the NA NU faction, stated this during a meeting held at the Pakagits
Club. According to A. Karapetian, he already mentioned three such
cases in the parliament. As a result of one – nonfulfilment by the
Mika Limited company of its obligations stipulated in the contract on
supply of aviation fuel to Zvartniots Airport, the state suffered a
loss of 2.9 mln USD. The vice chairman of NU referred to the act of
a check-up of financial liabilities, which was conducted in February
2002 at Zvartnots Airport by the Main Financial Department of the
RA Ministry of Finance and Economy. According to the document, the
airport signed a contract on aviation fuel supply with Mika Limited in
September 1999. Mika Limited was obliged to supply 10 thousand tons of
aviation fuel at the price of 208 USD for a ton until December of the
same year. The transportation to the Ayrum railway station was to be
done by the supplier. However, Mika Limited broke this agreement. In
order to avoid the fines envisaged by a contract signed with Armenian
Airways, the airport imported the fuel itself, as a result of which
a ton of fuel cost Zvartnots Airport 320 USD. Mika Limited did not
pay the fine for breaking the contract. The fine made 2.9 mln USD as
of January 1, 2002, and by the current exchange rate of the Armeian
dram against the US dollar – 3.8 mln USD. However, in the words
of A. Karapetian, after compiling the above mentioned act, in 2002
Zvartnot’s director informed the ministry in writing that two years
before – in 2000, the 1999 contract was cancelled by mutual consent
by Zvartnots Airport and Mika Limited. The document confirming this
consent, which at the time was at Aviation Fuel Filling CJSC, was
not presented during the check-up. Thus, according to A. Karapetian,
the management of the state enterprise and M. Baghdasarov came to an
agreement on the sum to be paid to the state. The vice chairman of the
National Unity Party noted that in recent years the authorities have
spoken a great deal about the necessity to fight against corruption,
whereas some persons close to the authorities are themselves engaged
in corruption and bribery.