A preliminary investigation conducted in the criminal proceedings examined by the RA Anti-Corruption Committee has substantiated that the chief eco-guard of the Ijevan and Artsvaberd districts of the Tavush regional department of the eco-guard service of the RA Ministry of Environment, in agreement with another chief eco-guard of the same district, received bribes from a number of individuals as part of a group for illegal inaction.
In particular, the preliminary investigation revealed that the above-mentioned eco-guards, in order not to prevent illegal logging in the territory of the “Ijevan” forestry enterprise of the “Hayantar” SNCO by a number of residents of Tavush region and not to take appropriate measures to prevent them, received various amounts of money from them as bribes from them during the period from May to June 2025.
In exchange for the bribe received, the eco-parkers did not take measures to prevent illegal logging, did not record the fact of illegal logging, did not submit a report on an apparent crime in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law, as a result of which significant damage was caused to the legitimate interests of the state, the incident of an apparent crime was concealed, and the persons who committed illegal logging avoided liability provided for by law.
The two chief eco-parkers were charged with accepting a bribe and abusing their official authority under Article 435, Part 2, Paragraphs 1 and 3 (2 episodes) and Article 441, Part 2, Paragraph 4 (2 episodes) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia. Arrest was applied to them as a preventive measure.
The persons who bribed the eco-parkers were charged under Article 436 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia. Two of them were placed under house arrest as a preventive measure.
The preliminary investigation into the criminal proceedings has been completed, and the materials of the proceedings have been sent to the Anti-Corruption Court of the Republic of Armenia with an indictment.
Notice: A person accused of a crime is presumed innocent until his guilt is proven in accordance with the procedure established by the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia, by a court verdict that has entered into legal force.
