The trial in the case of Vahagn Vermishyan, the former Chairman of the City Planning Department, has already started in the Court of Appeal. The court will examine the appeal against the final judicial act of the Court of First Instance collegially with the composition of 3 judges. Karen Amiryan was appointed Chairman, Mesrop Makyan and Armen Hovhannisyan are members.

According to Iravaban.net , Vahagn Vermishyan was charged with 7 episodes, one of which is related to receiving a bribe.

According to the documents of the case, for the construction of the private house belonging to Vermishyan’s close Urban Development Committee employee, advisor Natalia Chernikova, Euro windows worth AMD 899,600 and Euro doors worth AMD 204,000 were needed, and later, concrete supply was also needed for the construction of the foundation of the fence of the private house.

According to the indictment, the demands were accepted by Gagik Galstyan and Vazgen Poghosyan, and the said property, which was demanded as a bribe, was transferred in parts until 24 December, 2019. Vazgen Poghosyan, through the company owned by his daughter’s husband, supplied and installed the Euro windows and Euro doors without any payment.

It is noted that on 25 December, 2019, Gagik Galstyan, through his organization, organized and ensured the supply of concrete, which is a product material, to the territory of a private house belonging to Natalia Chernikova, thus giving a particularly large bribe to Vahagn Vermishyan with a prior agreement, a total of USD 5,000 equivalent to 2,379,950 AMD. And product material values ​​in the amount of AMD 1,294,248.

According to the prosecutor’s office, Vahagn Vermishyan, in order to facilitate the making of favorable decisions, using a convenient opportunity, started a conversation with Razmik Khurshudyan regarding the alleged poor quality of the concrete used for the construction of the fence base of the private house of his close friend, Natalia Chernikova, and its unfitness for construction, thus making it clear in a disguised way to Razmik Khurshudyan that he needs to acquire quality concrete.

Razmik Khurshudyan, hearing about this and realizing that he is already dependent on Vahagn Vermishyan for the legalization process of his structure, due to the need to solve the problem presented by him, personally expressed his willingness and offered to organize supplying a total of 24 cubic meters worth AMD 571,920 without payment, the supply of 150 brand concrete to the private house of Natalya Chernikova, in this way, by offering a bribe to Vahagn Vermishyan, in particular, he offered the official a property for another person, in order for him to perform any action for his benefit or the official using his official position to contribute to the execution of such an operation, and Vahagn Vermishyan accepted the offer to supply 24 cubic meters of concrete worth AMD 571,920 (five hundred seventy one thousand nine hundred and twenty) as a bribe.

In other words, Vahagn Vermishyan committed a criminal act, provided for by Article 311, Part 3, Clause 3 of the RA Criminal Code (Receiving large bribes),” the indictment states.

Gagik Galstyan and Vazgen Poghosyan were also charged with this episode.

In a conversation with Iravaban.net, Vermishyan’s lawyer Alexander Kochuobayev stated that the reality differs from the indictment. Cement-concrete was already ordered for the mentioned private house, but it was of poor quality. Vahagn Vermishyan searched for a quality one and for this purpose he turned to his acquaintances.

“There are also wiretappings in this case. In it, Vermishyan talks to Gagik Galstyan and clearly says: I need cement and concrete. He also says: Gagik, definitely for money, please make an estimate and send it. This is the reality, this was the whole conversation,” Kochubayev said.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, Gagik Galstyan and Vazgen Poghosyan provided Vermishyan with everything necessary in order to receive state “kickbacks” in the future. “However, the Urban Development Committee does not conduct any tenders independently.”

The lawyer claims that an attempt was made to discredit Vahagn Vermishyan with these accusations. He is being politically persecuted. “This is a factual data present in the roll of “toilet papers” brought by the prosecution. They are so ignorant of the case, they were so sure that Mnatsakan Martirosyan will punch.”

Kochubayev also notes that there is an invoice in the case, which certifies that the payments have been made.

Witness Samvel Khachatryan said that he has known Vahagn Vermishyan since 2018 and is in friendly relations with him. In November-December 2019, the latter asked to build the walls of the private house belonging to Natalya Chernikova for money.

He told the court that he agreed out of respect. He drew up an estimate of the work and expenses and presented it to Vahagn Vermishyan, in which his expenses amounted to about 2,200,000 AMD. During the construction of the fence, Razmik Khurshudyan called him to deliver concrete, but he does not remember the further process. In order to get information about the construction works of the mansion, to find out the mobile number of the village head of Shahumyan, about 10 days after the initiation of the criminal case, he met Natalya Chernikova, who said that she had paid off the debts, paid the money for the installation of Euro doors and Euro windows, after which he was ashamed to ask her for the money for the services rendered, because Vahagn Vermishyan had committed to pay them personally.

Vahagn Vermishyan stated in the court, that he refuses the first pre-trial testimony, because he wrote it as a result of the investigator’s psychological pressure on him, his exhortations and deception. He did not commit the crimes attributed to him, he does not plead guilty, and he is being politically persecuted. 

He informed about the concrete provided to him, he stated many times that he will pay for the concrete himself, he does not need the concrete provided for free.

It should be noted that the court of first instance found Vahagn Vermishyan guilty of this episode as well and sentenced him to a total of 8 years in prison.

Vahagn Vermishyan pleads not guilty to all the charges and demands an acquittal.