Exporters tried to illegally sell cigarettes in a country they were not allowed to: Armenia’s PM on ex-ambassador's statement on smuggled cigarettes

Armenia’s former ambassador to Holy See Mikayel Minasyan stated recently that a whole plane of smuggled cigarettes has been supposedly taken out of Armenia to Afghanistan but it was envisaged for Russia.

Asked to refer to the statement of the ex-ambassador, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the State Revenue Committee has not committed any illegality regarding cigarette export.

“I want to state that the State Revenue Committee has not committed any illegality regarding export of cigarettes. The exporters were to export to third countries and tried to sell illegally in a country they should not to,” he said, adding that the law enforcement bodies of that country must deal with the issue and punish all the guilty.

The head of the government though did not comment on Minasyan’s revelation that this smuggling scheme was managed by members of Pashinyan's family, including his wife’s brother, My Step deputy Hrachya Hakobyan.

“I am aware of the episode relating to my wife’s brother, Hrachya has filed a lawsuit. I am glad that a public judicial process will take place and there will be no need for me to answer this question, instead all will have an opportunity to see during the judicial process what is true and what is not,” Pashinyan stressed.