YEREVAN—Armenia’s former foreign minister and newly elected parliament member Vartan Oskanian was summoned by Armenia’s National Security Service and questioned in relation to alleged money laundering charges against him and the Civilitas Foundation, a think thank he founded four years ago.
Oskanian broke the news of the NSS’ case in a written statement.
“It is obvious to me that the criminal case that has been opened is politically motivated,” asserted Oskanian.
“I find it strange and astonishing therefore that my work and the work of Civilitas can in any way be linked to money laundering or illegally acquired funds. Even more astonishing is that such a question is being raised at a time when I have entered politics,” said Oskanian in his statement.
According to Armenian news sources, the NSS has confirmed the investigation, but has offered no further details on the charges.
“From the start, the Civilitas Foundation has been transparent, and operated in accordance with the spirit and the letter of Armenian law. Since its first days in 2008, the Civilitas Foundation’s programs have been supported by the governments of the Netherlands and Poland, the foreign ministries of Norway and Germany, the international development organizations of Switzerland and the UK, the US Embassy in Yerevan, the OSCE Yerevan Office, as well as other well-known organizations, corporations and individuals,” explained Oskanian.
“This has been public information. The government agencies of the Republic of Armenia clearly could not have been ignorant about these relationships,” added Oskanian.
Oskanian joined the Prosperous Party of Armenia this spring and was elected to parliament last month.
A Tip of the ICEBERG
“From the start, the Civilitas Foundation has been transparent, and operated in accordance with the spirit and the letter of Armenian law. Since its first days in 2008, the Civilitas Foundation’s programs have been supported by the governments of the Netherlands and Poland, the foreign ministries of Norway and Germany, the international development organizations of Switzerland and the UK, the US Embassy in Yerevan, the OSCE Yerevan Office, as well as other well-known organizations, corporations and individuals,” explained Oskanian.
Maybe your shmoozing with these Western Europeans has drawn suspicion and jealousy from the Armenian Government, Mr. Oskanian. Perhaps you are seen as a Western collaborator by Mr. Sarkissian and his charming associates.
Great news!
If there’s smoke…
I didn’t realize Assemblyman Mike Gatto moonlighted for NSS.
Of course it’s politically motivated. Those made-up charges have a single goal : preventing Oskanian from being candidate to the presidential election in February. Once sentenced by a court, Oskanian will no longer legally authorized to be candidate to any election. Here is the last trick of President Sarkissian !
I have been myself impressed by the political performance and charisma of Mr. Oskanian during his ministerial position during Kocharian’s presidency, however several close friends of mine, since his holding office, have always attached his name to unethical enrichment. When a certain margin of irregularities is exceeded, psychologically, human value is diminished. Becoming controversial is in itself a weak political status and becomes a burden on the government mainly due to loss of time in dealing with such issues in which both sides become engaged in inefficient arguments. A certain degree of restraint and unselfish service is a virtue. On the other hand it should be noted that in many countries, to occupy a pivotal position in government or megacompanies, one is always under pressure to accept free gifts or self-overappreciation and which eventually and almost invariably gets exposed. Very rarely in society one comes across individuals and personalities who are characterized by absolute integrity who can fight bribery and still maintain their high position in service of their society in particular and mankind at large.
What about vote buying 100 meter after the polling station in Yerevan? I have seen this by my own eyes- I couldn´t put the video on YouTube, since it is clear, from which apartment the video being recorded- shame!
Our hayastan becomes all of sudden country y of “law and order”, whenever it serves the interests of ruling elite- This move is slap on the face of Diaspora too- as if the brutally murder or cheating of a couple diaspora investors were not enough
!
“The winner” of next presidential election (2013) is preparing the ground for a far less interesting election
I would say G. T´s party being attached or punished- while impudent and less talented officials like A. Bagdasaryan and Hovik A. being appointed to their old posts
Guilt as charged! Send the operative back home to Washington and burn down his freak shop. Next in line should be Raffi Hovanissian and Richard Giragosian…
ALL WORLDS POLITICIANS ARE INVOLVED WITH MONEY LAUNDERING, THAT IS INCLUDED, Pop, Serge and Robert, LTP, your beloved Putin and Medvedev, Obama, and Mrs. Clinton …the worse of all of them is in Azerbaboon called “oily” Horsey Alioff!! The problem with fraudulent politicians is this “once they have been proved they have to resign immediately”, unfortunately in Armenia people like yourself immediately blame Americans, or blame Russians by LTP or Oskanian supporters …this is a drama going on with our homeland, shame to all of us!! We let them play with “Armenian unity” and play political games with our people and with our politicians as well!!
at least these guys – Raffi and Vartan – have moved to Armenia with their families. I know a lot so called former “patriots” from Iran and Lebanon who did prefer to live in Canada or L.A …!
Guilty as charged? While you are at it, Mullah Avetis, why don’t you declare a Fatwa on all Diaspora Armenians, in addition to the aforementioned ones, who have moved to present day Armenia and dedicated a good portion of their lives and treasure to the betterment of what they believe is their Homeland? May be they should all be summarily rounded up, charged with fictitious crimes and sent back to where they came from. Of course, after their properties are duly declared unlawfully acquired and confiscated. Perhaps then, you and your kind would have achieved your decades old goal of getting rid of Russian Armenia of all sorts of ” Western influences”, including Western Armenians, and resume screwing the remaining population and the country in the best tradition of your spirituals fathers and fellow criminals, Talaat Pasha, Mustafa Kemal, Lenin and Stalin.
Harry B.
Correct me if I’m wrong, wasn’t he the mastermind of the Turkish-Armenian unconditional Protocols.
No, that was after Serj had already become president.
I think,before jumping into conclusions,we must wait and see what the government will produce as a proof.