Armenia’s Water Committee, operating under the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures, signed contracts worth 334 million drams with a company owned by the former vice president of the Water Committee.

The company, MMV Shingroup LLC, founded on September 2, 2020, is 70% owned by Mihran Hovhannisyan, who held the position of Water Committee VP from August 6, 2018 to April 2, 2019. Mihran Hovhannisyan’s son Mher owns the remaining 30%.

According to the state procurement armeps.am system, the company started tendering bids for government contracts five months after its establishment.

The company signed it largest government contract with the Water Committee on June 18, 2021. MMV Shingroup was paid $132 million drams to perform repairs for the Talin, Aragatzotn, Lori, Gegharkunik and Yeghegnadzor water utilities.

From January to March 2020, Mihran Hovhannisyan served as adviser to the head of the Cadastre Committee. From 2003-2017, he was the director of Yeghvard water users’association.