From 11 to 20 August, 2020, the “Media Advocate” initiative followed online media reports on the RA Minister of Health, Arsen Torosyan’s personality and activities.
35 leading Armenian news agencies have been monitored․
No positive articles were published on Arsen Torosyan.
The press writes that back in 2018, Narek Vanesyan, a close friend of the RA Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan, the former director of the “National Center for Mental Health” CJSC of the RA Ministry of Health, who happened to be in the center of scandalous stories, appeared in the defendant’s chair.
According to the publications, the Commission for Prevention of Corruption has initiated proceedings against the Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan on the basis of a conflict of interests. The thing is that the Ministry of Health had signed service contracts with “Mibs” company, the director of which is Minister Arsen Torosyan’s wife, Vardanush Tevanyan.
The news outlets also write: “The state orders of Arsen Torosyan’s wife has increased 5 times after the appointment of her husband as a Health minister. The organization headed by the wife of Pashinyan’s advisor Arshak Karapetyan, also wins state tenders with revolutionary speed following the revolution. It is still the same budget money, and it is still called corruption”.
The media continues to publish the achievements of the expensive movable and real estate of the government representatives. “RA Deputy Minister of Health Artyom Smbatyan recently bought a “Mercedes” car which cost $ 30,000. He is going to work by that expensive car. According to our source in the ministry, Smbatyan even celebrated that occasion, the minister also took part in the party.” According to the press report, Smbatyan did not have any movable and real estate. His financial means amounted to 4,000 dollars, 6 million drams, 1,800 euros and 50,000 rubles. It is not clear how the official, who declared such a modest asset, bought a car worth 30,000 dollars months after taking the office.
According to various media publications, Arsen Torosyan continues to be criticized for failures in the fight against coronavirus.
The publication was prepared with the support of “Hayrenik” Development Foundation
