Hetq continues to hit an official brick wall when it comes to unearthing the asset sources of government officials.

The latest example is our investigation of 28-year-old Taguhie Harutyunyan, who became a state prosecutor in Armenia’s Armavir Province on December 17, 2018.

Harutyunyan assumed the position with cash assets of 20 million drams (US$42,100), US$10,000 and €5,000. Her revenues of 148,540 drams solely derive from wages.

Her financial disclosure also listed two apartments and a garden hut.

Hetq wrote to the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO), requesting information as to how Harutyunyan acquired this property and the cash.

The PGO replied that such information is of a personal nature and that, according to present Armenian law, Harutyunyan is not obligated to reveal her financial sources.

Armenia still lacks any effective disclosure regulations regarding the financial data of government officials.

Officials merely must disclose asset numbers. No one is authorized, by law, to check where the money came from.

Such information remains beyond the scope of public scrutiny.