Experts expect no resonant resignations in Armenia because of "Panamanian dossier"

The resignation of Migran Pogosyan, the chief of the Armenian Service for Compulsory Enforcement of Judicial Acts, is connected with the authorities' unwillingness to spoil relations with the Western countries and the United States, which provide Armenia with financial assistance in the fight against corruption. This opinion was voiced by Armenian experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 18, Major-General of Justice Migran Pogosyan, the chief of the Armenian Service for Compulsory Enforcement of Judicial Acts, filed a letter of resignation after his name had been mentioned in the "Panama dossier" on offshore companies.

The information on the offshore accounts belonging to Migran Pogosyan and his relatives was published by the newspaper "Hetq.am", a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).

According to the disclosed documents, Migran Pogosyan is a shareholder of three companies, registered in Panama. In 2011, he became a shareholder of the "Sigtem Real Estates Incorporated" and the "Hopkinten Trading Incorporated". Since 2005, he owns the "BANGIO INVEST S.A.".

The documents also show that Grigory and Mikhail Arutyunyan, relatives of Migran Pogosyan, own the companies registered in Panama. Meanwhile, Grigory Arutyunyan is a former deputy chief on financial affairs of the National Security Service.

Political analyst Ruben Megrabyan doubts that the offshore scandal will be followed by a series of revelations of corruption cases and criminal proceedings against top-ranking officials. Meanwhile, according to Ruben Megrabyan, the "Panamanian dossier" caused no special resonance in the opposition or the society.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.