Abovyan Mayor Addresses Charges Against Him

Abovyan Mayor Vahagn Gevorgyan has issued a statement regarding the charges brought against him by the Prosecutor General's Office. The statement reads:

“Dear compatriots and fellow citizens, on March 2 of this year, a message was posted on the official website of the Republic of Armenia’s Prosecutor General’s Office stating that the head of the Abovyan community in Kotayk province has been charged under Article 315.2 of the Criminal Code of Armenia. At this moment, I will not address the procedural and content-related issues surrounding the charges, which are, to put it mildly, highly controversial from the perspective of law, logic, and reason. I only find it necessary to inform my beloved Abovyan residents that as the head of the Abovyan community, I have never committed any crime, nor have I acted against the interests of the community, and I do not consider myself guilty of the charges brought against me.

I would also like to point out that the case presented as the “crime of the century” actually concerns a minor episode related to the construction of multi-apartment buildings in the Abovyan community, which is a first since independence. Moreover, this construction is being carried out exclusively through private investments, and upon completion, it is expected to resolve housing issues for approximately 1,000 families in Abovyan.

I still tend to believe that what has occurred is the result of a misunderstanding, and the investigation of the case, under the proper supervision of the Prosecutor’s Office, will reach its logical and conclusive end in court. However, if it turns out that what happened is a means of alleviating someone’s grievances resulting from ill intentions or the bitter blows of life, I promise to pursue until the end that the responsible individual or individuals are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law, regardless of how long it may take.

I want to express my gratitude to everyone—my friends, relatives, voters, and the people of Abovyan—who believe in my innocence and continue to trust and support me. I assure you that I am ready to fight until the end for our common goals and to justify the trust of my fellow citizens.”