The Minister of Emergency Situations of Armenia Andranik Piloyan has been charged, a petition for his arrest has been submitted to the court, the press service of the Anti-Corruption Committee of the Republic reported. Earlier, Armenia’s law-enforcement bodies searched the ministry’s building. Piloyan’s detention was made public on 30 March. About twenty people are involved in the criminal case, eight of them have been charged and more than ten have the status of suspects.

As a result of the preliminary investigation of the criminal case, evidence was obtained that officials of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia received bribes in large amounts, committed large-scale theft, and received and gave illegal rewards in large amounts. As part of the preliminary investigation, many episodes of these criminal acts were uncovered, for which the head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations Andranik Piloyan, his adviser, as well as a group of employees of the ministry, including heads of various departments of the department, were held accountable.

In particular, it turned out that Piloyan, with the assistance of his adviser, received a large bribe in 2022 for performing actions in favour of a company cooperating with the ministry. As a result of a search in the house of the adviser to the head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the republic, firearms and ammunition were found and confiscated. It also became known that the head of one of the departments of the Ministry of Emergency Situations acted as an intermediary in Piloyan receiving a large bribe.

In addition, information was received that the head of another unit of the Ministry of Emergency Situations V.M., having received a bribe from his friend A.O., contributed to the appointment of the latter to the position of commander of one of the units of the Rescue Service of the Ministry. After that, V.M. assisted Piloyan in receiving a large bribe from A.O.

It also turned out that citizen V.G., being in close relations with the minister, demanded and received from several people illegal remuneration in the amount of $2000-$2500 for their appointment to work in the subdivisions of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia.

In addition, according to the materials of the criminal case, the heads of two divisions of the Rescue Service of the Ministry of V.M. and M.M. in October 2021 fraudulently organised bonuses for serveral of employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, after which, using their official position, they received and appropriated bonus funds with their help.

Also, M.M., according to the preliminary investigation, in 2022 agreed on the technical justification for the tender for the needs of the Rescue Service of the Ministry of Emergencies with one of the companies for it to become the only participant and winner of the tender.

The head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations was charged under article 311 (“Taking a bribe”) of the Criminal Code of Armenia.

By the investigator’s decision, Andranik Piloyan was detained, a petition was sent to the court to apply arrest against him as a measure of restraint. Eight people were charged based on the elements of the crime "complicity in receiving a bribe," "mediation in bribery," "fraud," "complicity in the abuse of office," and "attempted abuse of office."

Regarding five accused, arrest was chosen as a measure of restraint. Another ten employees of the ministry received the status of suspects, and a written undertaking not to leave was chosen as a preventive measure. The preliminary investigation continues, the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia noted.

Andranik Piloyan has been the head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations since November 20, 2020.