Epress.am News from Armenia
Heritage Party MP Zaruhi Postanjyan and Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun, or ARF-D) MP Artsvik Minasyan during question-and-answer period with government members in the Armenian parliament today asked about the possible sale of the Vorotan Hydroelectric Power Station. Late November it became known that the power plant will be sold to the US company Global Circuit; however, local media reported today that the Armenian party might withdraw from the deal in favor of Russia.
Postanjyan told RA Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsissyan (pictured) that in the past, giving the power station to Russia was discussed under the "property for debt" program.
"I am officially informing you that the matter of the Vorotan waterfall was not on the negotiating table under the 'property for debt' program. I'm hearing this for the first time from you," said the energy minister.
Minasyan, in turn, asked the minister on what legal basis the hydro station was sold. "There's no transaction for us to think about the legal side of the matter. If a problem arises, we'll resolve it at that time," the minister responded.
Minasyan read the decision of the RA Public Services Regulatory Commission, with which it agreed to sell the hydro plant to the American company.
"We contacted the commission just to see whether it would allow [such a transaction] or not. But there's no transaction," Movsissyan insisted.
Photo credit: RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun)