Today, during the sitting of the Government, Anna Vardapetyan, Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia referred to the properties returned to the state during 2023-2024 in the scope of two exclusive powers of the Prosecutor’s Office—protection of state (community) interests and confiscation of property of illicit origin and highlighted that the sum total of the market value of the abovementioned properties and returned funds exceeded USD 30 million.  

Anna Vardapetyan particularly mentioned:

“By the decision of the Anti-corruption court dated September 4, 2023 the claim of the Prosecutor General’s Office was awarded.

Based on the decision of the court the ownership right of the Republic of Armenia was registered over the land plot with the surface of 0.5 ha having “specially protected area” intended purpose located at  26 Aghavnu Aghbyur, Aghavnadzor settlement, Tsaghkadzor community”.

The cadastral value whereof amounted to AMD 9 million 388 thousand.  

During 2023-2024, sum total of the market value of the properties and funds returned to the state in the scope of two exclusive powers of the Prosecutor’s Office— protection of state (community) interests and confiscation of property of illicit origin exceeded USD 30 million.

In particular, during 2023-2024, in the scope of the powers of protection of state (community) interests, the ownership right of the Republic of Armenia or community was registered over 8 properties.

In particular:

1. The building of “AOKS” located at 3 Abovyan Str., city of Yerevan.
2. The territory with the surface of 240 m2 from the complex located at 36/3 Koghbatsi Str., city of Yerevan.
3. The land plot with the surface of 24993 m2 (intended purpose—“specially protected area”) located at Tsaghkadzor community, the estimated cadastral value whereof amounted to AMD 46 million 929 thousand.
4. The land plot with the surface of 20021 m2 (intended purpose—“specially protected area”) located at Tsaghkadzor community, the estimated cadastral value whereof amounted to AMD 37 million 593 thousand.
5. “Eraskh-2” military unit, located at Armash village, Ararat region.
6. Two land plots with the surface of 1 ha located at 27 and 28 Aghavnu Aghbyur district, Aghavnadzor settlement, Kotayk region.
7. The land plot with the surface of 0.08 ha located at 13 Ye. Charents, 4th street, Nairi (Kasakh) community, Kotayk region.

During 2023-2024, in the scope of the powers of confiscation of property of illicit origin, 7 immovable and 1 movable property the total value whereof amounted to AMD 4 billion 100 million and about 584 million was transferred to the ownership of the Republic of Armenia.

In particular:

1. The land plot with the surface of 0.0573 ha located at 143/16 Tsarav Aghbyur Str., city of Yerevan.
2. The land plot with the surface of 0.05 ha located at 23 Tsovakal Isakov Str., city of Yerevan.
3. The public territory with the surface of 34, 76 m2 and the land plot with the surface of 2, 14989 ha (intended purpose whereof is residential area) located at 25/2 Tsovakal Isakov Str., city of Yerevan.
4. The public territory with the surface of 237, 9 m2 and the land plot with the surface of 0, 16879 ha (intended purpose whereof is residential area) located at 25/4 Tsovakal Isakov Str., city of Yerevan.
5. The territory with the surface of 25.6m2 and the land plot with the surface of 1, 42609 ha (intended purpose whereof is residential area) located at 25/3 Tsovakal Isakov Str., city of Yerevan.
6. 3rd garage located at 1 Vagharshyan Str., city of Yerevan.
7. The immovable property located at 39/6 Acharyan Str., city of Yerevan.
8. 1 transportation means.

Let me also refer to the properties returned to the state based on the judicial acts that has entered into legal force.

Thus:

1. On December 26, 2024 the ownership right of the Republic of Armenia was registered over the land plot (the intended purpose whereof was “specially protected area”) with the surface of 1.24 ha and with the value of AMD 730 million located at 2/5 Tsitsernakaberd highway, city of Yerevan. The claim submitted by the Prosecutor General’s Office in the scope of its powers of state interests protection, was awarded by the Anti-corruption court on July 2, 2024.
2. The claim submitted by the Prosecutor General’s Office in the scope of its powers of state interests protection, was awarded by the decision of the Anti-corruption court. The auctions of land plots —lot 16, 18, 19, 21, 22 and 24 organized by the Regional Governor’s Office of Kotayk region on May 26, 2007 were declared invalid and the ownership right of the Republic of Armenia was registered over the abovementioned land plots. Two decisions regarding lot 22 and lot 24 entered into legal force, the other 4 lots are in the process of appeal.
3. The claim submitted by the Prosecutor General’s Office in the scope of its powers of state interests protection, was partially awarded by the decision of the Anti-corruption court dated November 1, 2024. The auctions of land plots—lot 2,3,8,9 organized by the Regional Governor’s Office of Kotayk region on May 26, 2007 were declared invalid. The ownership right of the Republic of Armenia was registered over land plots lot 2, 3, 8. Decisions regarding lot 3 and lot 8 entered into legal force.
4. Two settlement agreements were approved by decision of the Anti-corruption court dated November 26 and December 10, 2024. The first settlement agreement refers to the land plot with the surface of 0.3 ha, the market value whereof amounted to AMD 16 million located at 9 Yerkragotsner Str., Merdzavan community. The decision entered into legal force on December 2, 2024 and the application on registration of the ownership right of the community over the mentioned land plot was submitted to the Cadastre Committee on December 9, 2024.

The second settlement agreement refers to the land plot with the surface of 0.3 ha with the approximated market value of AMD 3 million located at Merdzavan community. The decision entered into legal force on December 20, 2024 and the application on registration of the ownership right of the community over the mentioned land plot shall be submitted to the Cadastre Committee.

As we spoke about the properties returned from the communities, let me state that territories of two parks were returned to two communities under two criminal proceedings. In particular:

1. The green space with the surface of 0.137 ha located at 19/1 Milion Str., Stepanavan city, which is included in the list of restrictions defined by Article 60 of the Land Code was returned to the community under the criminal proceeding. The right of ownership of the community to the abovementioned territory was registered on October 6, 2023.
2. Due to the written motion of the Prosecutor’s Office, on May 7, 2024, the ownership right of the Republic of Armenia was registered over the land plot of the park (4310m2) and the immovable property built on the abovementioned land plot (511m2) belonging to Gavar Children’s Home, located at 3 Grigor Narekatsi Str., Gavar city, Gegharkunik region.

Continuing the theme of parks and green spaces, let me mention that pursuant to 2025 (first quarter) work program,  in the scope of the power of protection of state and community interests the Prosecutor’s Office shall examine the relevance of  the construction process of the specially protected areas of the nature, national parks, common lands of settlements with the requirements of the law and terms of the contract, and shall submit a claim to the court in case of any violation in the mentioned process.

The land plot with the surface of 16 000 m2 located at 39/6 Acharyan Str., Avan administrative district, city of Yerevan returned to the state under the settlement agreement concluded in the scope of the power of confiscation of property of illicit origin of the Prosecutor’s Office was attached to the State Property Management Committee by the decision of the Government dated April 12, 2024.

It was defined by today’s draft decision of the Government on the alienation of the mentioned property through a classic auction that even if the property is not sold at the first auction, the starting price for the sale of the property shall not be reduced at subsequent auctions”.