"Zhoghovurd" daily writes:
"It is clear that not only the people holding positions during the previous government are under suspicion for corruption risks, but also this government, which promised to reject corruption, but did not keep its promise.
Let's present the story in a reasonable way. ArmLur.am was contacted by a group of businessmen who import pesticides from different countries.
They unanimously claim that the roots of the obstacles placed before them are deeper than it seems.
The point is that Alexander Melsiki Avetisyan, who recently received a mandate and replaces Narek Zeynalyan in the National Assembly, previously engaged in the sale and import of agrochemicals, interfered in the registration of Armlur pesticides during his time as an advisor to the Prime Minister.In a conversation with .am, they claim that Avetisyan, as a well-versed in the business sector of agrochemicals and as an advisor to the Prime Minister, taking advantage of the existing trust in him, using his influence in his position, convinces various government officials that especially Chinese and Indian fertilizers and pesticides are of poor quality and harmful, and pesticides produced in the same countries also cause oncological diseases.
As a result, agrochemical substances of Chinese and Indian origin are not registered by SATM under the influence of Avetisyan. What is interesting here is that there is no scientific analysis and research on whether Chinese and Indian pesticides have carcinogenic elements or not.
We couldn't even find any conclusive scientific articles on these particular pesticides. Businessmen who contacted ArmLur.am claim that drugs with a risk of causing diseases are not even sold.
And in the case of Chinese and Indian pesticides, the risk of causing diseases has not been calculated, it depends on the method and dates of use. "It's up to the farmer's conscience. How many days after injecting the chemical will the product reach the market? Here, the part of the chemical seller's fault is zero," said chemical importers indignantly in a conversation with ArmLur.am.
They also claimed that there was an open preferential treatment towards Alexander Avetisyan before he became a member of the National Assembly by participating in the meeting of the owners of companies that import pesticides.
ArmLur.am was also told that the sessions of the "Pesticides and Agrochemicals Registration Commission" are not held, and the ones held are obstructed, because Avetisyan, not being a member of the said commission, took part in the sessions and influenced the decision-making.
ArmLur.am was told by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications that Alexander Avetisyan never participated in interdepartmental meetings. Alexander Avetisyan also mentioned in the conversation with "Zhoghovurd" daily that he did not participate in those meetings.
"I have never participated in any session of the pesticide registration commission. It is unclear where they came to this conclusion from," MP Alexander Avetisyan told us.
Businessmen claim that Avetisyan participated, and the answer of the 2nd party is negative, but the fact is that there is no record of participation or non-participation.
Avetisyan denies the rumors of participating in the sessions, but he does not deny that he often visited the SATM. "I have often visited the SATM, and with my indirect participation, changes have been made for the benefit of our country, our land and water, and the health of our children.
Regarding the changes, the connection of the inspection body is also indirect," said Alexander Avetisyan.
"Avetisyan uses his official position for the benefit of himself and/or his relatives, and at the same time artificially creates unfair competitive conditions for other persons.
Avetisyan, contrary to his "principle" of importing agrochemicals of Chinese and Indian production, imports Chinese-made fertilizers in the name of his affiliated companies, in addition, he cooperates with a specific organization that imports Russian and Jordanian products to RA and resells them through his relatives, imported into RA. the "harmless" pesticides," the businessmen say.
The citizens voicing the protest assure that the head of the Prime Minister's office Arayik Harutyunyan, who supports Alexander Avetisyan, is also seriously involved in all of this.
ArmLur.am also asked Araik Harutyunyan to find out what involvement he has in this case. The Ministry of Defense explained to ArmLur.am: "According to the RA Law "On Plant Sanitation", pesticides and agrochemicals imported into RA, produced and circulated in Armenia must be subject to state registration, which is carried out based on the conclusion of the interdepartmental commission.
The inspection body does not have the authority to independently issue a registration conclusion or refuse registration.
It turns out that the Inspection Body does not have the authority to independently issue a conclusion on registration or to refuse registration, but in fact such actions were carried out with the intervention of the above-mentioned persons.
"Economists must import the products of the organization that has been registered according to the established procedure. However, pesticides produced by other countries and manufacturers cannot be imported.
Unreasonable rejections, targeting any country, are excluded. The rejections have a basis, and the Inspection Body organizes its activities and control functions exclusively within the framework of the requirements defined by the legal acts," said the SATM's answer.
Businessmen claim that Alexander Avetisyan, with the participation of his relatives, buys pesticides from other companies and then sells pesticides at a higher price.
According to Avetisyan, at least in the last few years, there is no company owned by him or any of his relatives that deals with the import of pesticides.
There is another company with which one of his relatives had contact, the activity of that company was stopped more than four years ago.
During the study, ArmLur.am encountered a number of problems, the identification of which will continue."
