During her two-day working visit to Lori region, on 19 August 2026, Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia Anna Vardapetyan, accompanied by the Head of Lori region Armen Mkrtchyan and Prosecutor of Lori region Movses Antonyan, visited areas in the Vanadzor and Alaverdi communities where, as a result of prosecutorial intervention or the granting of claims for the protection of State (community) interests, immovable properties have been returned to the communities or legal processes for their return have been initiated.

The Prosecutor General’s first stop was Hrant Matevosyan Park (Railway workers park) in the Vanadzor community, where, as a result of prosecutorial intervention, 11 land plots with a total area of 3,426.85 sq. m have been returned to the possession of the community.

The Prosecutor of the region presented the Prosecutor General with the background to the examination launched in 2025 concerning the park within the framework of the Prosecutor’s Office’s powers to bring claims for the protection of State (community) interests, noting that the work commenced on 16 December 2025, on the basis of a letter from the Head of Lori region.

“The examination established that the land plots of Hrant Matevosyan Park in the Vanadzor Community had been provided to individuals and legal entities under agreements concluded in the early 2000s, granting leasehold, development or gratuitous-use rights. The examination established that, inter alia, the lessees had failed to fulfil their contractual obligations, including obligations concerning the improvement and maintenance of the area and payment of rent, as a result whereof the park had fallen into an unmaintained condition,” Movses Antonyan stated, adding that, following the examinations conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office of Lori region, on 26 January 2026 a representation was submitted to the acting Head of the Vanadzor Community requesting the termination of 26 lease, gratuitous-use and development agreements concerning land plots concluded with 22 individuals and legal entities.

According to the Prosecutor of the region, as of 23 June 2026, the Vanadzor Community had terminated lease and gratuitous-use agreements concerning a total of 15 land plots with an aggregate area of 6,625.09 sq. m, of which 11 plots, with a total area of 3,426.85 sq. m, have been registered with the Cadastre. Work to terminate the remaining agreements is ongoing.

At the same time, the Prosecutor’s Office’s examination established that a 1,000 sq. m land plot located within the park and classified as non-alienable under Article 60 of the Land Code had been alienated in violation of the procedure prescribed by law. The prosecutor submitted a report of a crime to the Anti-Corruption Committee, and criminal proceedings were initiated.

Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan, together with the the Head of Lori region and the Prosecutor of the same region, also toured Tigran Mets Avenue in the Vanadzor Community, where comprehensive renovation works of public-use areas, including pavements and bus stops, are planned with co-financing from the Government.

Based on a letter addressed to the Prosecutor’s Office by the Head of Lori region Armen Mkrtchyan, the Prosecutor’s Office of Lori region, within the scope of its powers to bring claims for the protection of State (community) interests, examined the legality of the process of granting public-use areas along Tigran Mets Avenue in Vanadzor for lease or development.

According to Movses Antonyan, the examination established that certain sections of the aforementioned areas had been granted to a number of individuals and legal entities under lease or development rights, and that the lease agreements contained violations. On 14 August 2026, the prosecutor submitted a representation to the Vanadzor Municipality for the purpose of considering the termination of the agreements.

During her visit to Lori region, Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia Anna Vardapetyan, together with the Head Armen Mkrtchyan and Prosecutor of the region Movses Antonyan, also visited the stadium and cable car site in the Alaverdi Community.

Within the scope of its powers to bring claims for the protection of State (community) interests, the Prosecutor’s Office of Lori region examined the legality of the alienation process concerning the 12,000 sq. m stadium located at 16 Tbilisyan Highway (currently 16 Tumanyan Street), Alaverdi community, Lori region.

Based on the violations identified by the Prosecutor’s Office, on 28 April 2026 a statement of claim was filed with the Administrative Court demanding to have the state registration of the ownership right of a closed joint-stock company over the 12,000 sq. m land plot located at 16 Tumanyan Street, Alaverdi community, Lori region, declared unlawful. The claim was admitted for consideration.

The next stop during the Prosecutor General’s regional visit was the cable car site in the Alaverdi Community of Lori region.

Within the scope of its powers to bring claims for the protection of State (community) interests, the Prosecutor’s Office of Lori region examined the legality of the alienation process concerning the 2,530 sq. m land plot located at 3 Spandaryan street and the cable car situated on it.

“The examination established that, according to the master plan of Alaverdi approved by Government Decision No. 1032-N of 9 August 2007, the area occupied by the cable car is designated as a ‘specially protected area’. Therefore, it falls within the category of land not subject to alienation under Article 60 of the Land Code.

On 30 April 2026, the Prosecutor’s Office of Lori region filed a statement of claim with the Administrative Court demanding to have the state registration of the ownership right of a closed joint-stock company over the land plot declared unlawful.

On 15 July 2026, a settlement agreement was concluded between the Prosecutor’s Office of Lori region and the Cadastre Committee, as the parties, and the closed joint-stock company, as a third party. Under the settlement agreement, the closed joint-stock company undertook to transfer to the Alaverdi Community the entire immovable property located at 3 Spandaryan Street in Alaverdi.

The settlement agreement was submitted to the Administrative Court for approval on 17 July 2026,” Prosecutor of the region Movses Antonyan reported.

At the invitation of the Head of the region, the Prosecutor General also visited the City Lake area in the Alaverdi Community, where improvement and landscaping works are currently underway.

Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan gave the Prosecutor of the region a number of instructions concerning the return of unlawfully alienated properties to the communities of Lori region and set deadlines for their implementation.