Based on the investigations conducted by the Prosecutor's Offices of the RA Regions on the protection of state interests, criminal cases were initiated against the officials of numerous local self-government bodies of almost all regions for leasing community lands  by means of corruption abuses.

 

In particular, under the supervision of the Prosecutor's Office of Kotayk Region, a total of 4 criminal cases were initiated in connection with similar facts, which refer to Garni community of the region, Karenis settlement of Charentsavan enlarged community, Meghradzor enlarged community, Artavaz settlement of the mentioned community.

 

The investigation of these criminal cases showed that since 2004 the heads of communities, sometimes having been informed in advance of the intention of telecommunication companies to install and operate mobile antenna stations in the communities leased community-owned lands to various individuals, including their relatives and friends, for significantly law rents. Some time later, the latter subleased the land or parts of it at multiple times higher rents to the companies.

 

No further measures were undertaken to stop or eliminate illegal land uses.

 

In the result, heads of the communities received large incomes through community-owned lands, and communities were deprived of receiving any income. Five people were involved in criminal cases for committing the mentioned criminal acts, 3 of which were former heads of the mentioned communities.

 

Two of the above-mentioned 4 criminal cases were sent to court with indictments against 4 persons. The trial is underway in one of them, a judicial act of acquittal has been made in the other, which has been appealed to the RA Court of Appeals by the Prosecutor's Office of the Region. The preliminary investigation of 2 criminal cases is still underway.

 

The total damage caused to the communities which was found out in the result of the investigations amounted to about 36.2 million AMD. In the result of the actions carried out, about 5.6 million AMD was recovered from it, measures are taken to recover the rest of the damage.

 

In the case of 3 cases lease agreements concluded through criminal transactions, 3 sub-lease agreements concluded with telecommunication service companies, were terminated after which in 2 cases new agreements were concluded between the communities and the same companies. In one case, the process of concluding a contract is underway, due to the process of changing the purpose of the land.