The Order of Friendship and the opposite, criminal side of the “medal”
During his recent visit to Moscow, RA President Serzh Sargsyan awarded the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Alexander Bastyrkin and Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation Yuri Chayka with the Order of Friendship.
Certainly, presenting a state award to Armenia’s friends is very important in itself. But who are the friends of the Republic of Armenia who should bear this Order of Friendship, for what merits. Whether having such friends in the current difficult period and presenting an award to them strengthens Armenia’s position or vice versa.
As to what “reputation” these officials subjected to international sanctions have enjoyed as heads of the RF law enforcement agencies can be judged by the Russian press. One can compile many volumes from the stories about the persecutions organized by their direct participation, as asserted by the press, false criminal cases. Certainly, all of this can be attributed to “the State Department”, “Soros”, “the initiators of Great Russia’s rise” etc. But the issue here is more complicated. These officials not only embody the repressive and corrupted essence of our strategic allied country’s officials, which is evidenced by the reports of all international human rights organizations but also their names are individually associated with the Russian mafia and its criminal activities abroad.
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The Prosecutor’s Office of Spain has filed charges against the Head of Russian Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, for having direct participation in several serious criminal offenses, including money laundering in specific large amount, frauds related to real estate, illegal banking transactions and transfers and so on. Moreover, based on wiretapping results, the Spanish Prosecutor’s Office argues in its accusation conclusion that Mr. Bastrykin is obliged for his post to criminal authority of St. Petersburg, Gennady Petrov, who along with 27 other persons is charged in a criminal case in connection with the “Russian mafia”, and to the Tambov criminal gang. A criminal case was initiated to the State Duma MP Reznik, former Prime Minister Zubkov, former Defense Minister Serdyukov, and former Speaker of the State Duma, Grizlov. It is also noted that Russia hampers the process of investigation in connection with these people. It is also noteworthy that these persons are mentioned in a direct text to be the people in close relations with the Russian President Vladimir Putin.
No less scandalous stories are associated with the name of Armenia’s other holder of the Order of Friendship – Russian Prosecutor General Yuri Chayka. Russian famous opposition politician, Founding Director of the Anti-Corruption Fund, Alexei Navalny, presented his “Chaika: a criminal drama in five acts” documentary which already won a special prize of Artdocfest Film Festival. The film is based on the investigation results and tells what Mr. Chaika’s sons are involved in, who incomprehensibly have become big businesses, their names are associated with the underground casinos’ sponsorship and money laundering with the particularly large amount. In the joint business with Artem and Igor Chaikas, the names of bandits currently taking their life-end and 20-years punishment accused of numerous murders, Sergey Tsapok and Vyacheslav Tsepovyaz, are mentioned.
The Armenian mass media, unfortunately, pay very little attention to the “achievements” of the high-rank officials of our strategic partner in the criminal field. It’s hard to say what the reason: whether they do not realize its serious consequences for Armenia, do not realize how the cause-effect ties of the phenomenon catch the throat of our statehood, or are guided by the principle of “far-away from trouble”. But we will talk about this next time.
Certainly, the principle of the presumption of innocence should be applied to these two figures. However, the political dimension is different. Firstly, on the one hand, in the case of a “normal” country, the officials having accumulated such an enormous “scandalous luggage” would have left their posts in an hour. On the other hand, it is difficult to say what benefits can these scandalous characters bring to our country as Armenia’s friends, as well as whether Armenia does not take on a heavy burden by declaring such persons as friends and awarding them with orders.
Ruben MEHRABYAN,
“Aravot” daily
