SUIT OF RA PROSECUTOR GENERAL’S OFFICE AGAINST AGRC NOT EXAMINED DUE TO ABSENCE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF SIDES

Noyan Tapan
Aug 20, 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 20, NOYAN TAPAN. At the August 20 sitting, the
RA Economic Court (chairman Judge Taron Nazarian) decided not to
examine the suit of the RA Prosecutor General’s Office against Ararat
Gold Recovery Company (AGRC) LLC as representatives of neither the
plaintiff not the defendant were present at the court sitting. Under
the RA Civil Procedure Code, if one of the sides is not present at
the sitting and does not request examining the case in its absence,
the suit is not examined.

To recap, according to information on the official website of the
RA Prosecutor General’s Office, the deputy prosecutor general of
the RA Gagik Jhangirian on August 2 filed a lawsuit against AGRC to
the RA Economic Court, requesting that the Agreement on Putting into
Operation the Sotk Gold Mine in Gegharkunik Region signed on March 13,
1999, between the RA Ministry of Environmental Protection and AGRC be
terminated ahead of time and, as a consequence, the special licence
HA-L-14/166 for mining activity (granted to AGRC by the RA Ministry
of Trade and Economic Development on June 7, 2004) be cancelled. At
the same time, the deputy prosecutor general asked the RA Economic
Court that 4 bln 6 mln 137.5 thousand drams (about 1 bln 189.1 mln
USD) and a sum equivalent to 10 mln USD be confiscated from AGRC and
transferred to the RA state budget. Besides, he requested that before
the court examination, sequestration in the amount of the suit cost
be put on the defendant’s property and accounts.

AGRC is being accused of considerable financial violations.