In a recent report, the Armenian parliament’s Audit Chamber suggested that ministry officials embezzled and/or wasted some of the 26 billion drams ($59 million) in emergency funding allocated following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
In particular, the chamber said, the ministry inflated the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients and channeled 900 million drams into hospitals that did not treat people infected with the respiratory disease. It also questioned the integrity of relevant state procurements, saying that many of them were administered without tenders.
Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC) responded to the Audit Chamber report by opening a formal criminal case. The ACC said it is conducting an investigation into embezzlement, fraud and abuse of power. It has not yet identified any suspects in the case.
The alleged abuses were committed during former Health Minister Arsen Torosian’s tenure.
Torosian, who is now a parliament deputy representing the ruling Civil Contract party, has already ruled out any corrupt practices. He said earlier this week that he looks forward to cooperating with investigators.
“For me, it is very strange that the Audit Chamber does not understand elementary facts,” he told Factor.am. “Frankly, I see a bias in that report.”
Torosian was sacked by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian in January 2021. Throughout his tenure he was criticized not only by opposition groups but also some pro-government parliamentarians.
The criticism intensified during the pandemic which hit Armenia hard. Torosian repeatedly defended his and other government officials’ response to the unprecedented health crisis.