An Investigation Has Been Launched Following the Review of Zarouhi Batoyan's Declarations

The Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Zarouhi Batoyan, has not reported her income in her recent declarations. According to Hetq.am, the Anti-Corruption Committee has promised to investigate Zarouhi Batoyan's declarations.

Zarouhi Batoyan has been serving in the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs since 2018. Since assuming office, she has submitted four declarations to the Ethics Commission for High-Ranking Officials. Information regarding Batoyan's income can only be found in the first declaration, which was submitted upon taking up the position of Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs. According to that declaration, Batoyan's income at that time was 887,000 drams as a salary.

In Batoyan's first declaration, there is a financial asset of 945,000 drams. Three months later, in the annual declaration submitted, the minister’s assets increased by 3,460,000 drams, reaching a total of 4,404,000 drams. The sources from which Zarouhi Batoyan's financial resources have increased remain unclear, as she has not declared her income.

The ministry has stated that the failure to declare income is related to a technical issue. “Unlike other fields, the income field has not been marked as mandatory, and the system allowed it to be left unfilled. Therefore, the income of the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Zarouhi Batoyan, was not reported due to an error and a technical glitch,” the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs reported.

The website has also contacted the Anti-Corruption Committee to inquire whether the declaration of an official's income is mandatory. The committee clarified that, according to the Law on Public Service, income declarations must specify the types of income and their sources.

The committee informed that they have commenced an investigation into Zarouhi Batoyan's declarations according to the procedures and deadlines stipulated by law, and as a result, an investigation has been launched. The committee will publicly announce its decision later.