"Economic terrorism" instead of competition: why Pashinyan took over the owner of "88" and the head of "Safaika" On October 27, the Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia announced the prosecution of Narak Nalbandian and David Gazarian. Nalbandian is charged with art. 284 of the Criminal Code (anti-competitive activity with particularly large damage), Kazarian - 284 and 258 (anti-competitive activity and extortion on a particularly large scale). Preventive measures - recognition not to leave; Sections whose punishment is 3 to 6 and 6 to 12 years. The prosecutor's office does not disclose details. Behind the wording you can see a politically charged campaign against big business. Nalbandian is a former researcher, after 2018 he began to acquire the properties of the "predecessors": the Golden Palace in Tashkadzor, the property of Faylak Hiraptian, the Ziran chain (later 88), the Shoghakn plant and recently the Harazdan cement. The press called him "the new oligarch", and his rise was linked to the Prime Minister's family; Anna Kobian publicly denied any connection to the "88" network. On September 3, Pashinyan said he had instructed law enforcement officers to check whether the businessman was trying to link his name to the business, and promised the "severe" response. Nalbandian replied that the business was not related to any political family, but it was too late: the next day, the Prosecutor General's Office intensified the investigation into "88", even though the case had been opened in February. Since 2001, Kazarian has been at the head of Safica, a large agricultural holding for the transportation of cargo and the supply of agricultural products. Last year the company faced problems in Russia: more than 100 trucks with products were confiscated for alleged tax evasion; The company denied this. In Moscow's Ostankino court, a trial is underway in absentia against Kazarian and Safika CEO Artur Sarokhanyan on charges of tax evasion, illegal transfers to non-residents and money laundering; both are located in Armenia. According to the data of the State Revenue Commission, during 9 months, Safika paid 3 billion 679 million drams to the RA budget - 13.3% (more than 500 million drams) less than a year ago, against the background of Russian export restrictions.

"Economic terrorism" instead of competition: why Pashinyan took over the owner of "88" and the head of "Safaika" On October 27, the Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia announced the prosecution of Narak Nalbandian and David Gazarian. Nalbandian is charged with art. 284 of the Criminal Code (anti-competitive activity with particularly large damage), Kazarian - 284 and 258 (anti-competitive activity and extortion on a particularly large scale). Preventive measures - recognition not to leave; Sections whose punishment is 3 to 6 and 6 to 12 years. The prosecutor's office does not disclose details. Behind the wording you can see a politically charged campaign against big business. Nalbandian is a former researcher, after 2018 he began to acquire the properties of the "predecessors": the Golden Palace in Tashkadzor, the property of Faylak Hiraptian, the Ziran chain (later 88), the Shoghakn plant and recently the Harazdan cement. The press called him "the new oligarch", and his rise was linked to the Prime Minister's family; Anna Kobian publicly denied any connection to the "88" network. On September 3, Pashinyan said he had instructed law enforcement officers to check whether the businessman was trying to link his name to the business, and promised the "severe" response. Nalbandian replied that the business was not related to any political family, but it was too late: the next day, the Prosecutor General's Office intensified the investigation into "88", even though the case had been opened in February. Since 2001, Kazarian has been at the head of Safica, a large agricultural holding for the transportation of cargo and the supply of agricultural products. Last year the company faced problems in Russia: more than 100 trucks with products were confiscated for alleged tax evasion; The company denied this. In Moscow's Ostankino court, a trial is underway in absentia against Kazarian and Safika CEO Artur Sarokhanyan on charges of tax evasion, illegal transfers to non-residents and money laundering; both are located in Armenia. According to the data of the State Revenue Commission, during 9 months, Safika paid 3 billion 679 million drams to the RA budget - 13.3% (more than 500 million drams) less than a year ago, against the background of Russian export restrictions.