Criminal case against ex-Armenian Foreign Minister Oskanian closed
YEREVAN. July 24 (Interfax) - The Armenian National Security Service has closed a criminal case against former Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian.
"The criminal case that was opened earlier on money laundering charges was re-qualified as large-scale tax evasion. Taking into account that Oskanian voluntarily paid his tax obligations, a decision has been made to close his criminal prosecution," the Armenian National Security Service told Interfax.
The National Security Service's investigations department opened a criminal case against Oskanian on money laundering charges in summer 2012, claiming that the Civilitas Foundation headed by Oskanian legalized large-scale criminal proceeds.
In particular, the investigation was opened into the sale by Civilitas of its 100% share worth $2 million to the Armenian-based organization Huntsman Building Products belonging to the U.S. corporations Polymer Materials and Huntsman International.
"On July 19, 2013, the former Armenian foreign minister made a statement and testified that he used $250,795, which was donated by Huntsman International head John Huntsman exclusively for charity purposes, for his personal needs, seeing this sum as his share from the deal," the National Security Service said.
Oskanian also paid an income tax on this sum calculated by the State Revenue Committee to the Armenian national budget.
Oskanian earlier denied the charges brought against him, saying that he was being politically persecuted. He also insisted that the money donated by Huntsman International was not spent and the corporation did not have any complaints.
Oskanian served as foreign minister under President Robert Kocharian from 1998 to 2008. After Serzh Sargsyan's victory in the 2008 presidential elections, Oskanian resigned and set up the Civilitas Foundation dealing with human rights, democracy and civil society matters.