Former mayor of Armenia’s Yerevan sells plots of urban land for pittance

The Armenian State Control Service has said that the former mayor of Armenia’s capital Yerevan sold the city land in Avan district for a pittance in 2017.

A 424.7 square metre-plot situated in A. Shahinyan street was sold to one citizen at 1.9 million drams ($4,688) upon the decision of the mayor (then this post was held by Taron Markaryan), Caliber.Az reports with reference to the Armenian media. 

There were no grounds (specified by the government) for the sale of the land. Moreover, the land was to be sold through a public tender.

A 430 square metre-plot was sold by a private owner in the same period at 32,500 drams ($80) per square metre. The mayor's office sold the land plot at 4,500 drams ($11) which is seven times cheaper than the market price.

Another plot was sold for a pittance on the same street (708 square metres at 3.2 million drams or $7,896) to another citizen upon the mayor’s decision. The cost per square meter in this case was 4,500 drams ($11).

The documents were sent to the Prosecutor General's Office for a legal assessment.

One US dollar costs almost 408 Armenian drams.