Government Worker Involved in Loan Sharking, Claim Protesting Women

Siranush Chplakhyan claims that Armenian government employee Nune Pluzyan deals with usury (loan-sharking), deceptively defrauding debtors of their real estate. Today, Chplakhyan and her sister protested in front of the Armenian government buillding, promising to protest again in front of PM Hovik Abrahamyan’s home near Victory Park if their protests are not given importance. Epress.am spoke to the protesting women who noted that their letters to the PM are not reaching him because Pluzyan works in the department dealing with petitions.

According to Chplakhyan, Pluzyan loaned $21,000 with interest to her and as a guarantee asked for a buy-sell agreement on two (Chplakhyan’s and sister’s) homes, which would safeguard the loan if not paid.

The protesting woman told Epress.am that she paid more interest than the initial amount (the agreed 5% a month), but she was unable to cover the debt itself. According to her, Pluzyan wanted $40,000 in order for her to return the homes, which Chplakhyan agreed to. However, the government worker retracted from her demand. She did not agree with selling one house and paying off the loan, while one of the homes stayed with the original owners. Chplakhyan’s sister noted that she did not sign the trade agreement.

After the death of the two sisters' mother, the court did not provide enough time for the issue of inheritance and immediately decided in favor of Pluzyan. Siranush Chplakhyan notes that the court may have been biased, because Pluzyan told her that she had connections to high officials, especially with ministers. She spoke about another violation, in which the Court of Appeals initially accepted to proceed with their complaint, however, a few days ago they unexpectedly stated that the case would not proceed. That gave Pluzyan the opportunity to apply to the Judicial Acts Compulsory Enforcement Service and evict the sisters from their homes.

Recall, that according to Armenian law, Usury is loaning money or property at an interest rate more than twice exceeding the one of the Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia, as well as making deals with individuals on extremely unfavorable conditions of which the other party took advantage, is punished with a fine in the amount of 400-600 minimal salaries or with imprisonment for up to 4 years.