The Yerevan-based Union of Informed Citizens (UIC) said two years ago that Sarkisian used a government plane to travel to the German resort town of Baden-Baden on at least 16 occasions from 2008 through 2017. In a written complaint submitted to state prosecutors, the non-governmental organization claimed that the flights were financed by taxpayers’ money illegally and without any justification.
The prosecutors ordered the Special Investigative Service (SIS) to look into the claims. The SIS opened in October 2021 a criminal case in connection with what it called a possible abuse of power. It said some of Sarkisian’s flights to Germany appear to have been carried out in breach of official rules and procedures for the use of the government jet.
A lawyer for Sarkisian, Amram Makinian, has dismissed the investigation as a publicity stunt organized by the current Armenian government. He has said that the UIC’s allegations are based on inaccurate information provided by the government’s Civil Aviation Committee.
The Office of the Prosecutor-General said on Thursday that the law-enforcement body, which is now called the Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC), found no evidence in support of the allegations during the probe that lasted for over 18 months. The criminal case against the 69-year-old ex-president was therefore closed, the office told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. The UIC leader, Daniel Ioannisian, criticized the decision.
Sarkisian, who co-heads one of the opposition groups represented in Armenia’s current parliament, admitted earlier in 2021 spending vacations in Baden-Baden. But he flatly denied allegations that he visited the world-famous German resort for gambling purposes. Sarkisian’s political allies have repeatedly accused law-enforcement authorities of targeting him and his relatives on government orders.