Para TV manipulations regarding the “Restart Initiative

Last week Para TV published a video about the “Restart” Initiative, manipulating a number of facts and information on some persons.

The way it is presented

The video presents the projects implemented by “Restart”, among which the ruining of RA second president Robert Kocharyan’s press conference was mentioned.

Reality

Robert Kocharyan’s press conference in August 2018 was ruined by members of the “Privet Rob” initiative. According to Para TV, it was organized by “Restart”.

It should be noted that members of “Privet Rob” protest were different civic activists, including a few members of “Restart” Initiative.

The way it is presented 

According to Para TV’s video, two members of the Board of Trustees of the “Restart” Initiative, Transparency International Anti-corruption Center Director Sona Ayvazyan and current Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Boon TV founder Gemfin Gasparyan have received 433,000 thousand USD for the implementation of various projects since 2016.

Reality

The Open Society Foundations grants have not been received by these people personally but by the organizations where they worked for the implementation of specific projects. Ayvazyan and Gasparyan are programs coordinators who are paid for their work just as other people involved in the project. For example, in 2018 Transparency International received 155,000 USD. In the information published on the Open Society Foundations website, we see that the money has been transferred to the organization for implementing a project aimed at establishment of an anti-corruption policy.

The way it is presented

Anna Gevorgyan, another member of the Board of Trustees, was Advisor to the Secretary of the Security Council in July-December 2018. And Secretary of the Security Council is Armen Grigoryan who has ties to the Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center, which in turn is affiliated with the Soros Foundation.

Reality

Armen Grigoryan used to be coordinator of the Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center, and Anna Gevorgyan became Assistant to the Secretary of the National Security Council in July, when Armen Grigoryan had already assumed the position of the Secretary (he assumed this post on May 17). Anna Gevorgyan has not worked at Transparency International.

It is worth reminding that Para TV is connected with former governor of Syunik Vahe Hakobyan. Fip.am previously wrote that Vahe Hakobyan financed his and his wife’s businesses through foundations. The Public Diplomacy NGO is registered under the name of former governor’s wife, and Para TV belongs to this NGO.

Karine Kirakosyan