Presidential candidate Armen Sargsyan denies rumors of his business ties with Lydian Armenia CJSC
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YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, ARMENPRESS. Armen Sargsyan, Armenian Ambassador to the UK, Republican Party’s candidate for the position of the President of Armenia, denies rumors of having business ties with Lydian Armenia CJSC, reports Armenpress.
“The story of Lydian is another false story. Let me clarify it with pleasure. I and any of my family members have never been shareholders of this company, will never be and are not. This is a simple clear explanation. Last time I dealt with the Lydian company or Amulsar story five years ago. Lydian CJSC is an open, transparent company registered in Canada. In Canada, as one of the best territories where the mining is well organized, the names of shareholders are clear, people can search in Google and will see whether I or someone linked with me have been shareholders or not. The answer will be no”, Armen Sargsyan said in an interview to Shant TV, adding that his ties with the company developed based on his position: as an Ambassador he assisted the company to make investment in Armenia.
“My relations with that company have been very clear. If there is a company that is interested in making investment in Armenia, I am ready to assist, give advice to come to Armenia. This happened in the case of bringing Coca Cola or HSBC Bank to Armenia which was a difficult work and Armenia was the only one in the region where this Bank came. I am proud of this since by the arrival of HSBC to Armenia a lot has changed in the banking system, laws also changed. If there is a company that is ready to make an investment in Armenia, I am always ready to meet with them, give advice and assist. There are many such examples, but this doesn’t mean that I have or had a share in each of these companies”, Sargsyan said.
He also mentioned another reason why he couldn’t be a shareholder of the Lydian Armenia CJSC. “The World Bank and the European Bank have been shareholders of the same company. These organizations do not invest in companies where there is a former or current public official”.