PROMINENT OPPOSITIONISTS ACCUSED OF ‘MONEY LAUNDERING’
By Astghik Bedevian
Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
May 7 2007
Armenia law-enforcement authorities accused on Monday two former
government ministers staunchly opposed to the country’s leadership of
illegally receiving and "laundering" money from Russia for subversive
political purposes.
The accusations came after officers of the National Security Service
(NSS) searched and confiscated large amounts of cash from the Yerevan
apartments of former Foreign Minister Aleksandr Arzumanian and former
Industrial Infrastructures Minister Vahan Shirkhanian on Saturday.
In an ensued statement, the NSS said the sums were sent to them by
Levon Markos, a Russian businessman of Armenian descent who fled
Armenia in 2005 to avoid prosecution on fraud charges and, according
to the security agency, is "pursuing some goals" in the run-up to
the forthcoming parliamentary elections.
The statement said Arzumanian and Shirkhanian met Markos during an
April 24-26 visit to Moscow and received a total of $180,000 upon
their return to Yerevan. The money was wired in several installments
in the name of nine different individuals acting as "figureheads"
for the two oppositionists, it added. The NSS did not specify how
they were supposed to use the alleged financial aid, saying only
that its officers found $55,400 in Arzumanian’s apartment and $28,000
in Shirkhanian.
Both men admitted on Monday visiting Moscow late last month but
strongly denied receiving any financial aid from the fugitive
businessman. They told RFE/RL that the NSS claims are aimed at
suppressing an opposition movement which they launched last year to
strive for regime change in Armenia. The small group called the Civic
Resistance Movement is boycotting the elections.
Arzumanian, who had served as foreign minister from 1996-1998, claimed
that he visited the Russian capital to attend the funeral of Russia’s
former President Boris Yeltsin and did not meet Markos. "I have known
Levon Markos since 1977 but have not met in the last several years,"
he said.
"Serzh Sarkisian considers Levon Markos his number one enemy and is
persecuting that man, having already seized his assets by fraudulent
means," added Arzumanian. "He is simply trying to extend that animosity
to his political opponents in Armenia … I have not engaged and will
not engage in any illegal activity."
Shirkhanian likewise denied meeting Markos or getting any money from
the latter. "I have known Levon for 20 years," he said. "That person
provided huge assistance to Armenia during the Karabakh war. But I
didn’t see him during my last trip to Moscow."
Shirkhanian also said he has received a lump sum from other
Moscow-based individuals. "I asked my friends and they sent $80,000
for my daughter’s wedding party and for renting office space for my
[pro-Russian] non-governmental organization Shanghai Club of Armenia,"
he said.
Both Arzumanian and Shirkhanian were summoned to the NSS
headquarters in Yerevan for questioning on Saturday. The latter was
also interrogated by the former KGB on Monday. "The whole thing is
designed to intimidate the opposition," he charged afterwards.
Neither man has been formally charged under an article of the Armenian
Criminal Code that deals with attempts to "legalize revenues obtained
by criminal means."