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Edik Baghdasaryan

Vardan Ayvazyan’s Business Project

Every minister inArmeniaconsiders the agency entrusted to him or her to be his or her personal business project.

Minister of Nature Protection Vardan Ayvazyan, whose name often emerges in the media in connection with various scandals, is squeezing everything possible out of his ministry, aware that he cannot hold office forever.

If you examineArmenia's underground resources you find yourself in a web in which almost all of the family and friendly ties of our various officials can be seen. Who owns these resources? There is one unambiguous answer to this question – high-level officials of the Republic of Armenia and parliament members, who as a rule acquire the licenses to explore and exploit mines in the names of their relatives and friends, and go on to sell them later. Profits are especially high when the buyers are foreign companies.

Starting today, Hetq will present the real owners of our mines. Topping the list is, not surprisingly naturally, the head of the agency in charge of the mines – Minister of Nature Protection Vardan Ayvazyan. The first group of mines that he owns is listed below.

Surart, Ltd., which is represented by Vardan Ayvazyan's son, Suren Ayvazyan, received licenses for two mines on the same day.

Organization

Location, Type and term of the license

Registration address

Founders and their addresses

Reserves Million Tons

Surart, Ltd.

Lori Marz, License to explore and develop the Bazum iron deposits. Valid July 20, 2009

Yerevan, Arabkir,7 H. Emin St., # 46(residential address of Tigran Krmoyan, Assistant to the Minister of Nature Protection).

Suren Ayvazyan (Vardan Ayvazyan's son) 22-16 District # 6, Charentsavan

400

Surart, Ltd.

Syunik Marz, License to develop the Kamakar mine

¨¨¨¨¨

Suren Ayvazyan (Vardan Ayvazyan's son) 22-16 District # 6 Charentsavan

1000

Nagin, Ltd.

Kotayk Marz, License to appraise and explore the Hrazdan iron mine. Valid December 31, 2007.

22-16 District # 6 Charentsavan (Vardan Ayvazyan's registration address)

Mariam Ginosyan (Vardan Ayvazyan's wife), Gagik Ayvazyan (Vardan Ayvazyan's brother) and two other persons registered in Charentsavan

150

Nagin, Ltd.

Kotayk Marz, License to appraise and explore the Abovyan iron mine. Valid December 31, 2007.

¨¨¨¨¨

¨¨¨¨¨

400

Nagin, Ltd.

Syunik Marz, License to explore and develop the Svarants iron mine. Valid December 31, 2008.

¨¨¨¨¨

¨¨¨¨¨

1000

Alexis, Ltd.

Ararat Marz, License to develop a travertine mine.

Yerevan, Arabkir, 7H.Emin St., # 46

Suren Ayvazyan (Vardan Ayvazyan's son) 22-16 District # 6 Charentsavan. Artur Alexanyan (Vahagn Hovnanian's son-in-law) Vahagni Residential Complex # 5165.

 


On January 26, 2007 Nagin, Ltd was granted a license to exploit the first two mines. According to reliable sources, intensive negotiations are being conducted at this moment out to sell the mines that belong to the minister. The minister is personally taking part in the negotiations. Among the buyers is an Indian company, and the price set by the minister for just one mine is several million dollars. These are only a few of several dozens of mines that Vardan Ayvazyan owns. The minister has a special fondness for gold, copper, molybdenum, and iron deposits.

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