The prosecutor’s office has sent to the National Security Service (NSS) the report of Hetq online newspaper about Armen Sarkissian being a citizen of another country before becoming the President of Armenia, according to Gor Abrahamyan, Adviser to the Prosecutor General.
As per Abrahamyan, this report was sent to the NSS considering the fact that a criminal case was initiated back in April 2021 on the grounds of falsifying documents in order to conceal Sarkissian’s dual citizenship. And this report will be reviewed within the framework of this criminal case.
Hetq, citing the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), on Monday publicized an investigation, according to which Armen Sarkissian, in addition to being an Armenian citizen, was also a citizen of another country—at least before becoming the President off Armenia.
According to the website, Sarkissian was also a citizen of Saint Kitts and Nevis. As per Hetq’s information, the incumbent Armenian President—who has submitted his resignation—had a St. Kitts and Nevis passport, and this was confirmed during a correspondence with Sarkissian.
Under the Armenian Constitution, however, one of the requirements for the President is to be only an Armenian citizen for the last six years and to live permanently in Armenia for the last six years.
“President Armen Sarkissian mentioned several reasons in his letter of resignation. But we believe that they have little to do with his resignation. In our opinion, the [real] reason for his resignation is but one: he was a citizen of another country—at least before he became President. (…). Let us note that this country [i.e., Saint Kitts and Nevis] is not the United Kingdom, of which Armen Sarkissian was a citizen and which became known before he was elected [President],” Hetq had written, in particular.
