‘Report related to construction sector, not urban development ministry’

The annual report of the Control Chamber of Armenia and the majority of the questions asked by parliamentary deputies were related to construction sector and not to the Urban Development Ministry, Armenia’s Minister of Urban Development Samvel Tadevosian stated at the special sitting of the parliament today.

In his words, the violations and omissions recorded by the Control Chamber were related to construction work done on orders of ministries and departments, at the expense of state budget resources.

“This fact does not exempt us from liability. Short-term and long-term projects are being implemented to reform the urban development sphere and the first results are already obvious and aimed at solution of problems,” the minister said. According to him, violations are typical of the construction sector, regardless of which department implements the construction work.

“Kickbacks are mentioned as the basis of existing problems, but it is a superficial idea. I don’t doubt professionalism of the Control Chamber, but their report lacks a deep analysis and conclusions regarding the circumstances that cause violations in construction sector,” Tadevosian stressed.

In conclusion, the minister welcomed the Control Chamber’s consistent attention to construction sector, but he noted that the Control Chamber did not even mention the government’s arguments about the preconditions for violations, including legislative gaps.