The RoA General Prosecutor’s Office has issued a statement saying that T. Grigoryan, Chief of the Environmental Inspectorate at the Ministry of Nature Protection, and his deputy, A. Petrosyan, have been formally charged with taking large cash bribes. The two have been taken into protective custody pending that start of criminal proceedings The GPO has stated that the two officials conspired to extort 5 million AMD from the Akhtala Mining Enrichment Company in order that the Ministry extend the deadline for the completion of a water distribution system along the Nahatak River in the Ayrum-Tchotchkan valley in Lori. The Akhtala Mining Company belongs to Serob Ter-Petrosyan, an advisor to Prime Minister Sargsyan.