On June 3, RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan requested the RA Procuracy to assess the evidence as contained in the article, “Cyprus Troika: Who ‘Stripped’ Businessman Paylak Hayrapetyan of His Assets?”, published on May 29, 2013 in “Hetq” online (edition of Investigative Journalists NGO). As the Adviser to RA General Prosecutor Sona Truzian informed YPC, the Prime Minister’s request was redirected to the RA Police and will be examined in frames of the criminal proceedings instituted upon the complaint of businessman Paylak Hayrapetyan.
The abovementioned “Hetq” article particularly reported that the Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan, Primate of the Ararat Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop Navasard Kjoyan and Ashot Sukiasyan, who is engaged in diamond manufacturing, are the shareholders of Wlispera Holdings Limited (WHL), an offshore company registered in Cyprus. Further, the article stated that “WHL is directly connected to a case involving the seizure of assets belonging to businessman Paylak Hayrapetyan” and presented some details of the story. The piece also provided a screenshot of the registration certificate of Wlispera Holding Limited.
On May 29, the same day of publication of the article, “Hetq” stored the answer of Harutyun Berberian, Press Secretary of Prime Minister, “Prime Minister Sargsyan Ready to Go to Prosecutor General over Hetq Exposé”. The answer stressed that Tigran Sargsyan has no connection to Wlispera Holding Limited. “Moreover, neither has the prime minister personally, or through any other authorized entity, registered any organization in Cyprus or any other off-shore location”, the letter emphasized. Harutyun Berberian noted that the screenshot of the registration certificate provided in the “Hetq” article is false, and Tigran Sargsyan will address the RA Procuracy.
Meanwhile, “Hetq” mentioned in its editorial note that it has never used false information and advised the Prime Minister “to first take a look at the website of the Cyprus Department of Registrar of Companies, to inspect the veracity of the information presented therein”, as well as examine “the bank transfers from Armenia to the company in question, and vice-versa, and then contact the proper authorities of Cyprus to expose any ‘conspiracy’, if one indeed exists”. Only having done so should the Prime Minister address to the Procuracy, the editorial note stated. “Hetq” also expressed hope that the Procuracy will regard its article as a report on crime.
