Freedom of Information Center of Armenia.

By Gevorg Hayrapetyan, FOICA's Lawyer

As in past years, on August 20, 2010 Freedom of Information Center of Armenia referred to the RA State Revenue Committee asking to provide statements on the data included in the property and income declarations of the RA officials. Five days after the inquiry was sent the FOICA received the statements on the data included in the property and income declarations of all the RA governors (marzpets) from the RA State Revenue Committee. We weren’t given information on governor of the region of Vayots Dzor Sergey Bagratyan, because the latter has been holding this position since 2010, whereas, before he was the chairman of the board of “Sergei Group” LLC and didn’t provide property and income declarations. During the year of 2009 governor of the region of Shirak Ashot Giziryan was the Chief of the Department of Penitentiary of the RA Ministry of Justice, and governor of the region of Ararat Edik Barseghyan, was the Head of the Armenian Rescue Service of the RA Ministry of Emergency Situations. Thus, they submitted property and income declarations on the incomes earned at the time of the abovementioned positions.

In 2009 Governor of the region of Ararat Adik Barseghyan had the highest income, which amounted to AMD 3.764.690. Whereas, Governor of the region of Tavush Armen Ghularyan had the lowest income - AMD 2.282.160. So, Edik Barseghyans’ income is AMD 1.482.530 more than that of Armen Ghularyan’s. The second highest income was Aram Kocharyan’s – the governor of the region of Lori - AMD 3.088.000.

The incomes of the rest of the governors do not exceed AMD 3 million. In 2009 all together the RA governors  had AMD 24.248.296 income. As in 2008, in 2009 too, the overall income of all the governors submitting property and income declarations is less than the income of Minister of Healthcare Harutyun Kushakyan (AMD 341.615.000 - the highest among all the ministers). However, if in 2008 the overall income of all the governors was more than 5 times less than that of Harutyun Kushakyan’s, in 2009 the difference was more than 14 times. It is worth noting that Harutyun Kushkyan’s income has changed little, i.c. it is not the Minister who became richer, but the governors all together have become poorer.

The governors, who became richer or poorer in 2009, compared with the year of 2008. Out of 10 governors who governed in 2008, in 2009, only 7 were still holding the post and provided property and income declarations. Let’s compare the changes of the incomes of these 7 governors in the period of 2008-2009:

• Aram Qocharyan, Governor of Lori, who had the highest income (AMD 35.070.600) in 2008, in 2009 had the second highest income (AMD 3.088.000) in the list of governors. In 2009 his income became over 11 times less than in 2008.
   
• Sargis Sahakyan, Governor of Aragatsotn, who had the lowest income (AMD 2.074.713) in 2008, in 2009 made it to AMD 2.401.328, improving it by AMD 326.615.
  
• The income of Armen Ghularyan, Governor of Tavush, which was the lowest in 2009, has increased by only AMD 12.000, from AMD 2.270.160 in 2008 becoming AMD 2.282.160 in 2009.
  
• In 2009 the income of Kovalenko Shahgaldyan, Governor of Kotayk, has increased by AMD 87.038, from AMD 2.407.058 becoming AMD 2.494.096.
  
• In 2009 the income of Surik Khachatryan, Governor of Syuniq, has decreased by AMD 16.105, from AMD 2.747.794 becoming AMD 2.731.689.
  
• The income of Ashot Ghahramanyan, Governor of Armavir, has increased by AMD 26.333, from AMD 2.268.000 becoming AMD 2.294.333.
  
• The income of Never Poghosyan, Governor of Gegharkunik, has decreased by AMD 504.000, from AMD 2.882.000 becoming AMD 2.378.000.