Yesterday at the ministry of nature protection the journalists once again witnessed the mildly said cynical behavior of the minister Aram Harutyunyan. The impression was that the minister was discussing his personal matters in his own home. By setting aside all the environmental issues of the country he wished to speak about the 10-million USD grant that he had snatched. Moreover, in order to make the press conference-show more affecting the chief executive of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Monique Barbut was sitting next to the minister, who wouldn’t miss a chance to praise the RA government by saying that the citizens should be proud of their government. Now let us present the material of the press conference in more detail. It turns out that Armenia has been cooperating with the GEF since 1994 and has completed 17 projects worth $21.9 million over the years. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) unites 182 member governments — in partnership with international institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector — to address global environmental issues. The Global Environment Facility was established in 1991 and promotes the environment protection process in the Earth directing the financial means to the solution of global environmental problems. In Armenia the GEF national coordinator is Aram Harutyunyan, the minister of nature protection. Based on 322N decision of Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan (the penalists would intentionally emphasize that) the committee on cooperation with GEF was initiated. To our question as to who does the committee consist of the chief executive of the Global Environment Facility responded, “We will provide you the composition of the committee and I will tell you that our partner ministries are involved. That is the ministry of economy, ministry of agriculture, ministry of energy and ministry of finances.” Within the framework of the GEF fifth process, the 2011-2015 budget for Armenia amounts to 7.97 million USD, according to target spheres. Harutyunyan highlighted this meeting and expressed hope that it will give its more positive results for further cooperation. The minister and the guest met with the international agencies implementing programs funded by GEF, including with the members of the World Bank, UN Environment Program, UN industrial development organization and “Cooperation Committee with GEF”. The penalists by sequence explained how the money will be spent. 1.5 million will be spent on maintenance of fauna, change of climate – 2.35 million, prevent of land degradation – 4.12 million USD. Monique Barbut noted at the meeting that according to her impressions concerning the lake, balance must be kept between two types of issues – between today’s needs and future issues. “Work carried out toward preservation of any sort of animal requires preservation of environment,” she said. “It is worth mentioning that during these years programs were conducted in Sevan National Park, Dilijan National Park. Buildings were built and reconstructed, technically equipped and furnished,” with lofty pride mentioned the minister. Also, let’s mention that Armenia has been cooperating with the GEF since 1994 and has completed 17 projects worth $21.9 million over the years. 7.2 million USD was allotted for protection of fauna, for climate change – 10.8 million 1.3 million was allotted for organic polluters. In general since 2005 21.9 million USD was spent. Starting from 2005 in the 4th round of cooperation with the GEF a number of national and regional programs have been implemented and some are in process in Armenia. As part of the mentioned phase of cooperation a number of national and regional environment protection programs were carried out costing 5.5 million USD, as well as prospects of cooperating in the GEF fifth phase have been projected. The minister wasn’t expecting the fund provided for 2011-2015. “To our surprise the funds that are allotted to us and the government were more than we expected as Monique stated. So we are willing to implement these projects,” said Harutyunyan. “As of why Armenia has received more funds in the framework of the GEF let me mention that it’s connected with the tense degradation of lands. In the world Armenia is considered the highest dry land country,” added Barbut and added that the foundation directed by him is not like all the other structures and they don’t have representatives in countries they fund. Nevertheless, Mrs. Monique thoroughly explained the activity of her foundation. To our question as to how the foundation monitors the funds Barbut mentioned that they have many methods to control the funds and always had positive assessment addressed to our GEF. Moreover Ms. Barbut was not only generous but also suggested the journalists to be proud of the government. She also didn’t forget to mention the hospitality of Armenians, who have accompanied her to Sevan on October 19 and yesterday she was taken to Khosrov reserve. To the question addressed to Harutyunyan as to how he would assess the current state of Sevan the minister said, “Let me just tell you that when we met Ms Monique she told me that the water is very clean.” Harutyunyan noted that the reconstruction activities of the premises of Sevan National Park still continue. Besides the environmental issues Aram Harutyunyan’s encouragement was noticeable in terms of snatching a 10-million USD grant. He was so excited that even asked the journalist, who asked him a question, “Why is that you excited? Why are you excited?” Specially, for Ms. Monique, who is so delighted by this official who has had this post since 2007, let us tell who the minister Aram Harutyunyan actually is so that Ms. Monique would have a good understanding of the “object” of her delight. In 2004-2007 he was the minister of urban development. By receiving the maximum ministerial salary in the amount of 325 thousand AMD but he was able to accumulate immense capital. He first became an MP with the Legal State mandate. Then he became a minister. Afterwards he moved from the Legal State to the Republican party. During this period he was able to become one of the oligarch ministers. Indeed he didn’t register his property on his name but everybody knows about that. In various media sources it was numerously informed about the property of this minister with the nick name “muffin.” He has a gas station and factory in Yeghvard, New Regence hotel complex in Kanaker-Zeytun community, the whole last floor of the building on Tigran Mets Street and Republic Square of Armenia, a summer house in Sevan, two villas in the vicinity of Victory Park and one near the Cascade. Even he had publicly confessed that he is involved in construction and hotel businesses in the case when NA MPs and ministers don’t have the right to be involved in any business. And the environmental NGOs almost every day alert of the immense damage caused to the environment and money laundering that has been taking place during the tenure of Harutyunyan. He is one of those ministers, with the name of whose immense money laundering cases and violations are connected. There are many cases against him both in the Prosecutor General’s office and the Audit Chamber. The Prosecutor’s office has conducted financial auditing in the cleaning works of Sevan lake and reported unproductive expenditure of the RA budget. For this purpose 250 million AMD from the state budget had disappeared. There were rumors that Sevan is not being cleaned on purpose so that the government would allot more funds for that and the purchase of special equipment. The Audit Chamber of Armenia had also identified violations in the ministry headed by Harutyunyan. One of those is that the minister had assimilated several hundred million AMD from the exploitation of one of the mines. The Chamber had also found violations and abuses in the amount of 226 million AMD within the ministry. Especially the violations were major in 2006-2008 in the levying of land rent fees of Sevan National Park and the ministry’s inability to properly control the process.
