Syunik Regional Governor to Pay Off His Debt to Me, Says Silva Hambardzumyan

Entrepreneur Silva Hambardzumyan has informed local daily Haykakan Jamanak (“Armenian Times”) that Syunik marzpet (regional governor) Suren Khachatryan will transfer his debt of 102 million drams to her account by Dec. 15.

Hambardzumyan noted, however, that she didn’t receive this news from Khachatryan himself, but through intermediaries. They asked the entrepreneur to inform them when the money is in her account so that they may relay this information to the governor who reportedly will then go and apologize to Hambardzumyan.

The entrepreneur didn’t reveal the names of these intermediaries, promising, however, to make them public after Dec. 15, if she has still not received the money owing to her.

Recall, meeting with reporters on Nov. 10, Hambardzumyan charged that Khachatryan stole 102 million drams’ worth of equipment from the Litchqvaz-Tey mine, which belonged to Hambardzumyan before the license for her Sipan 1 gold mining company was revoked by authorities. Following the accusations, Khachatryan publicly threatened to take Hambarzumyan to court, saying that he purchased the equipment.

Then, on Nov. 14, Hambardzumyan asserted that she was attacked by the marzpet as she was leaving a Yerevan hotel.