YEREVAN, JULY 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The State Interest Protection Department of the RA Prosecutor General's Office opened a criminal case based on the fact of an embezzlement through upward distortions during the restoration work at Erebuni residence (Arin-Berd). By the agreement signed between the RA Ministry of Culture and Aragatsotn CJSC on June 19, 2008, the indicated company was to implement restoration work at Arin-Berd under the Restoration of Monuments program. According to the press service of the RA Prosecutor General's Office, in August-November 2008, Aragatsotn CJSC's director L. Ghukasian made upward distortions of the work volumes by entering obviously false information in the official reports on handing-over and acceptance of the work and using that information. Based on the reports, he received 1 million 196.2 thousand drams (about 3.3 thousand USD) from the Ministry of Culture and embezzled this money. Based on the fact, the State Interest Protection Department of the RA Prosecutor's Office opened a criminal case under the RA Criminal Code's Articles 178 Part 2 Point 2 and Article 325 Part 1. The case has been sent to the RA Police for investigation.

---