Civilnet.am scrutinized the family’s business assets in a journalistic investigation jointly conducted with the international Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). In a November article, the publication said that Avinian’s dazzling political career made since the 2018 “velvet revolution” was “accompanied by the growing prosperity of businesses linked to his family.”
The article singled out an agribusiness firm officially owned by Avinian’s father and brother. It received government contracts, grants and loan subsidies when he served as deputy prime minister from 2018-2021. Avinian denounced the “false article” and pledged to sue the publication last week during a live debate with his predecessor and political opponent Hayk Marutian.
It emerged on Wednesday that the court decided not to hear the case unless Avinian pays a legal filing fee of 150,000 drams ($380). The plaintiff asked for an exemption, saying that payment of the fee would “cause significant financial hardship to me and my family.”
The court rejected the request and gave him three days to pay up. The mayor’s press office did not clarify whether he will do so.
Avinian’s reluctance to pay the relatively modest sum came as a surprise given his monthly salary of 1.2 million drams ($3,000) and officially declared annual income of 45 million drams. The 35-year-old, who is a senior member of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s Civil Contract party, has also declared more than $350,000 worth of crypto currency.
As recently as on Monday, the mayor said he will use his personal money to cover the exorbitant cost of his business class ticket purchased by the Yerevan municipality for his recent flights to and from Los Angeles. The ticket cost taxpayers almost 7.7 million drams ($19,500), sparking an uproar from opposition groups and media.