The slander trial filed by former Armenian Prime Minister Armen Darbinyan against the Political Research Center got underway today at Yerevan’s Kentron and Nork-Marash Court.

Darbinyan claims that an August 16, 2012 entitled “Armenchik Darbinyan doesn’t like to pay, and why should he, if he’s protected by the Armenian government” that appeared in the Center’s www.n-idea.am website.

Passages in the article stated that the government “has allowed him to live outside the scope of the law” and “the government has allowed Darbinyan to pick the pockets of Armenian citizens with impunity”, among others.

Darbinyan is demanding that the defendant issue a public apology, 3 million AMD in compensatory damages, 1 million for incurred legal fees and 84,000 for state fees paid.

The defendant responded that what was written was a subjective evaluation.