ARMENIAN CHIEF BANKER DENIES ALLEGATIONS OF MONEY LAUNDERING

Armenian Second TV Channel
Jan 23 2009

[Presenter] Today the chairman of Armenia’s Central Bank, Artur
Javadyan, denied press reports that a major money laundering case
had allegedly been recorded in Armenia’s banking system lately. At
issue is 95m dollars allegedly brought from Cyprus. Here is the
clarification provided by the chairman of the Central Bank.

[Javadyan] We possess no information in this regard; we do not have
this information. In general, no movement of such a large amount of
money from one account to another has been recorded in the Central
Bank up to present. So, this report does not correspond to reality.

We had – [changes tack] As you know, according to an imperative law,
if there is any crime-related case, we report it to law enforcers. Such
cases occurred in the Republic of Armenia. Criminal cases were opened
on their basis, prosecution was carried out appropriately and the
cases were tried in courts.

Regarding this case, I can unambiguously say that there is no such
information, this is slander and a transaction involving this amount
has never been carried out via Armenia’s banking system, say from
offshore to Armenia and outside of Armenia.