On December 11, 2025, Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan announced the start of dismantling works for illegally constructed buildings on land plots below the absolute mark along the shores of Lake Sevan. The Prosecutor’s Office also informed that the demolition of illegal buildings would continue in 2026.

On February 24, 2026, the illegally constructed cottages on land below the absolute mark of Lake Sevan were dismantled: one belonging to the brother of the former RA Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan, and another built illegally by Karen Rafik Grigoryan, son of the former governor of Gegharkunik region Rafik Grigoryan. Notably, these cottages were built on plots for which the constructor did not even hold lease rights.

The Prosecutor’s Office had also reported on February 2, 2026, that the fence, concrete retaining walls, sloped platform, and other structures of a villa illegally built by the former Chief of RA Police Vladimir Gasparyan, on land below the absolute mark of Lake Sevan had been dismantled (the Prosecutor’s Office, inter alia, in a claim for the confiscation of property of illicit origin, is demanding the confiscation of this villa from Vladimir Gasparyan and his affiliated persons).

Thus, from December 2025 to the present, as a result of the performance of the motions of the Prosecutor’s Office, 65 main and auxiliary buildings illegally constructed by various individuals on 25 land plots below the absolute mark along the shores of Lake Sevan have been dismantled (demolished), and 2 contracts have been terminated by the Sevan National Park.

It should be recalled that, in addition to the above motions, during 2025, the Department for the State Interests Prosecutor Protection of the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office of Gegharkunik region submitted 8 more motions addressed to the RA Ministry of Environment and the Sevan National Park.

The abovementioned motions, as well as other claims submitted by the Prosecutor’s Office to the courts, inter alia, relate to:

• The villa illegally constructed by the former Chief of RA Police of Armenia Vladimir Gasparyan, on Lake Sevan (Address: 1st street 97, Drakhtik community, Gegharkunik region).
• The administrative complex of the “Harsnakar Hotel” (Address: 50 Yerevanyan Highway, Sevan city) and the hotel’s cottages (Address: 48/6 Yerevanyan Highway, Sevan city).
• The villa illegally constructed by the former President of the Football Federation of Armenia and former Member of the National Assembly Ruben Hayrapetyan on Lake Sevan (Address: 3rd street 38, Recreation Zone, Sevan city).
• The villa illegally constructed by the former RA Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan on Lake Sevan (Address: 1st street 71, Drakhtik community, Gegharkunik region).
• The villa illegally constructed by Arman Hakobjanyan on Lake Sevan (Address: 1st street 88, Drakhtik community, Gegharkunik region).

As a result of investigations conducted within the scope of authority to file claims for the state interests protection, the Department of State Interests Protection and the Prosecutor’s Office of Gegharkunik region have submitted reports on crime to preliminary investigation bodies and initiated criminal proceedings.

In response to citizens’ concerns asking, “Why the building is being dismantled if it could be given to socially vulnerable families?”, it should be noted that areas below 1905.0 meters above sea level along Lake Sevan are flood-prone and belong to the shoreline protection zone.

According to Government Decision No. 1563-N of December 18, 2008, the areas subject to flooding due to the rising water level of Lake Sevan, as defined by the legislation of the Republic of Armenia, include the territory from the water boundary of the lake within “Sevan” National Park up to 1905.0 meters above sea level.

Thus, proposals to “transfer the dismantled structures for other purposes” have no legal basis because:

• They are located in areas at risk of flooding and may be submerged under water.
• No ownership rights can be registered over them: this is prohibited under the RA legislation.
• Their existence harms the ecosystem of Lake Sevan, as well as the lake’s cleanliness and water quality.