CivilNet, in collaboration with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), has released an investigation shedding light on undisclosed donations made to the Armenian political party “Civil Contract”. The investigation uncovered that many donors were either unaware of the source of the funds or did not consider these donations significant in relation to their income. Furthermore, irregularities in the reporting of these donations were exposed.

Varuzhan Hoktanyan, the Director of programs at Transparency International Armenia, emphasized in an interview with NEWS.am that these actions constitute a clear violation of the political financing law. He further suggested that in order to address this issue, revisions must be made to the legislation. Hoktanyan questions who should be held accountable if these violations are not brought to light.

Hoktanyan believes that influential corporations may withdraw their support for the political establishment as a result. However, he cautioned against expecting an immediate response, as the full impact of these revelations has yet to be realized.

According to the investigation, out of the 2,500 individuals who made donations to the political party “Civil Contract” in 2022, only 140 were able to contribute the maximum allowable amount. In 26 cases, the donations surpassed the donor’s annual income, and half of them had overall incomes that did not match the values of their donations. Additionally, in four cases, the donations exceeded the maximum limit of 2.5 million drams or $6,200. These questionable transactions occurred over the course of one year, during which management made significant changes to restrict cash and legal transfers, as well as limit payments made by individuals.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am