Residents of the Aragatsotn region are certain that chief police officer Gor Alexanyan was fired in order to reduce chief prosecutor Aghvan Hovsepyan’s power in Aragotsotn. Rumor has it that Gor Alexanyan is Hovsepyan’s right-hand in the region.
The interests of the Chief Prosecutor and the Dashnaks (federalists) often clash in Aragatsotn. Neither Hovsepyan nor the Dasnhaks have been able to “take control of” the region. Being from Aparan, Hovsepyan has a lot of power in that city. As for the Dashnaks, they are strong in Ashtarak because Ashtarak is the heart of the region and the regional heads have appointed other Dashnaks as governing bodies. The only non-Dashnak was the chief police officer and he got fired. Alexanyan was transferred to the “Zvartnots” airport, where the salaries are rather high. However, if we look at it from the political perspective, Alexanyan was fired in order to balance the power that the Chief Prosecutor and Dashnaks have in the Aragatsotn region. During the current pre-election campaign, there is a clash of interests between the two. A. Hovsepyan is trying to pressure the Dashnaks through the means of his contacts. In fact, the regional prosecutor’s office is currently investigating some cases having to do with local Dashnak officials. Let’s recall the abuses of principal of the school named after G. Ghapantsyan in Ashtrarak, Alik Babayan and head of the education department of the regional council Siramarg Ghukasyan. According to the complaints filed to the regional prosecutor’s office, Babayan has sold 15 school certificates and committed other crimes in the school. While testifying, Babayan stated that he had committed those crimes along with regional head and Dashnak Gabriel Gyozalyan and Siramarg Ghukasyan with their knowing it. A case was brought up against Ghukasyan back on February 20, however the legal proceedings are going on. The prosecutor’s office really wants to bring the shady and criminal acts of the Dashnaks into the light, but the authorities forbid them to do that. In fact, the recent cadre changes prove that Robert Kocharyan tends to strengthen the Dashnaks’ role in the region. According to the residents of Ashtarak, the “Union for Armenia” political party, which is tied to Aghvan Hovsepyan, opened its regional branch in Ashtarak and appointed owner of the “Ashtarak Canyon” restaurant/complex Karen Gevorgyan as head of the branch. Gevorgyan is considered to be one of Aghvan Hovsepyan’s close friends. Not only did the branch close, but rumor has it that K. Gevorgyan was forced to sell his restaurant/complex and leave Armenia.
Residents of Ashtarak claim that they have heard rumors about regional prosecutor Hamlet Zakoyan leaving office. Based on non-official data, head of the Civil Act Registration Office of the city of Abovyan, who happens to be A. Hovsepyan’s cousin, was fired for bribery. The prosecutor’s office is currently instituting legal proceedings on this case.
Besides that, citizens of Ashtarak also claim that Gagik Tsarukyan’s “Prosperous Armenia” party is getting stronger in the region. They prove that with the fact that Nver Poghosyan, who they say is G. Tsarukyans godchild, is the replacement for G. Alexanyan.
A month ago, residents of Ashtarak were certain that not only Gabriel Gyozalyan, but also head of the education department of the regional council and school principal would be fired. Based on the turn of events, they now realize that “Kocharyan is playing some games, he isn’t punishing the Dashnaks yet and is waiting for the right moment to go against them.”
During this clash of interests in the region, the Dashnaks are trying to take advantage of all the opportunities they have. They are happy that the authorities forbid the prosecutor’s office to investigate their cases. Citizens of Ashtarak say that the authorities have helped A. Babayan make an agreement with the German embassy to turn the school into a German-teaching college. In fact, there is even an agreement according to which, the Dashnaks will get one of the school buildings for their own purposes, Hovik Abrahamyan wants the other one and there will only be one building for the school. The parents are afraid to send their children to that school with the fear that the Dashnaks will make the school “worse”. Parents of the 10-15 graduates complain that their children weren’t able to apply for university admission exams because A. Babayan had sold their certificates. These days, the Dashnaks are destroying the boiler-room at the Tsakhkahovit hospital located in the Aragats regional center. Witnesses say that two, large Iranian trucks lifted and took the boiler-room. Residents are sure that G. Gyozalyan has something to do with this, as well as general doctor of the hospital Arthur Basentsyan and chief police officer of Tsakhkahovit Harutyun Sukiasyan.
On Tuesday of last week, “168 Hours” paid a visit to Ashtarak in order to meet with the regional head, head of the education department of the regional council S. Ghukasyan, prosecutor Hamlet Zakoyan and the other officials, but the only answer we got wherever we went was “the boss isn’t here.” The regional head is on vacation, S. Ghukasyan wasn’t there and wasn’t going to be. Prosecutor H. Zakoyan also wasn’t there, but he informed his secretary that A. Babayan’s case was still under investigation and didn’t give further information due to the confidentiality. Zakoyan advised finding out about Ghukasyan’s case from the Chief Prosecutor’s office. But we didn’t go there because correspondent of the Public Relations department of the prosecutor’s office Gurgen Ambaryan had already told us that he couldn’t say anything because it was confidential.