As previously reported, the Corruption Prevention Commission (CPC) fined Gagik Tsarukyan, the chairman of the ‘Prosperous Armenia’ Party (PAP), by a decision on August 28.
According to Iravaban.net, the party failed to transfer to the state budget a donation received from ‘Yerevan Ararat BWV’ CJSC within two weeks of receiving it.
On September 11, the CPC published a new decision. The Commission, examining the administrative offense case initiated against Arman Davtyan, General Director of ‘Yerevan Brandy, Wine, Vodka Factory’ company, for apparent violation of the Administrative Offenses Code:
Has Determined
The company made an in-kind donation of 792,786 AMD to the ‘Prosperous Armenia’ Party, which is not permitted under the Constitutional Law on Political Parties as a donation from a legal entity.
Due to the discovery of the aforementioned violation, the Commission sent a notification to Arman Davtyan on August 6, 2024, regarding the apparent violation of making a donation to a party on behalf of a legal entity, inviting him to the Commission on the 5th working day following receipt of the notification at 11:00 AM to participate in drafting an administrative offense report, and on August 13 at 11:30 AM to participate in the examination of the administrative offense case based on the report drafted on the grounds of the apparent violation and relevant materials. Arman Davtyan received this letter on August 8, 2024.
On August 15, in the absence of the duly notified Arman Davtyan, a report was drawn up with the characteristics of the offense provided for by the Code. On August 28, a Commission session was held in Arman Davtyan’s absence.
Considering that as of August 28, Arman Davtyan had not been properly notified of the date and time of the case examination, the Commission decided on that day to suspend the proceedings of the administrative offense case until the circumstances causing the suspension were eliminated.
On September 11, at 14:40, an examination of the administrative offense case took place in the absence of Arman Davtyan, who had been duly notified of the place and time of the case examination.
No position or clarifications were presented by the participant in the proceedings.
During 2022, an in-kind donation in the form of the right to use real estate free of charge was made on behalf of the ‘Yerevan Brandy, Wine, Vodka Factory’ company to the party, amounting to 792,786 AMD (unauthorized donation).
According to the data available in the electronic unified register of legal entities of the Ministry of Justice, Arman Davtyan has been the General Director of the company during the reporting period (from 04.12.2020 to present).
It should be noted that according to Part 4 of Article 24 of the Constitutional Law, donations are not permitted from any type of legal entities, including foreign legal entities and international organizations.
According to Part 1 of Article 189.21 of the Code, making a donation to a party on behalf of a legal entity results in the imposition of a fine in the amount of the donation.
The Commission Has Decided
To apply an administrative penalty against Arman Davtyan, the General Director of the company, for making a donation to the ‘Prosperous Armenia’ Party on behalf of the company, in the amount of the donation – 792,786 AMD.
The decision enters into force on the day following its delivery (deemed delivered) to Arman Davtyan in the prescribed manner and can be appealed in accordance with the procedure and timeframe established by the RA legislation.
Mariam Antonyan
Arman Davtyan’s photo was taken from his Facebook page.
