H. Tovmasian calls for applying to Cyprus prosecutor over scandal

Justice Minister Hrayr Tovmasian said during a briefing in the Armenian parliament today that the prime minister of Armenia may be held accountable if there are grounds in the offshore scandal.

Asked if justice can be administered in Armenia, the justice minister answered in the affirmative.

“If we are a legal state, if everyone is equal before the law, if anyone commits a crime, he/she must be held accountable,” Tovmasian said.

Commenting on the statement of the Prosecutor General of Cyprus Petros Clerides to the effect that in Cyprus it is impossible to register anyone as a shareholder of an offshore company without that person’s permission, Hrayr Tovmsian called for applying to the Cyprian prosecutor: “I am not an expert in this field”.

In his words, while the preliminary investigation is underway, any questions on that subject should not be addressed to him. “The justice minister of Armenia will not answer any questions related to the preliminary investigation conducted by the police and the prosecutor’s office. My answers may – directly or indirectly – influence those processes,” Tovmasian noted.