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Artsakh’s President Arayik Harutyunyan and former Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan are attempting to take over “strategically important businesses” in Artsakh as part of an evident capital redistribution process in the country, Pastinfo reports.

Some media reports suggest the two have acquired shares in Karabakh Telecom, the sole telecommunications company operating in Artsakh.

Speaking to Pastinfo, Artsakh lawmaker Metaxe Hakobyan sounded the alarm that the telecoms operator holding a monopoly is unable to provide even average quality services.

After the 2020 war in Artsakh, Viva-MTS (formerly VivaCell MTS) cancelled roaming in the country, offering full services and mobile 4G Internet to Artsakh subscribers. In the conditions of competition, Karabakh Telecom announced its decision to make investments in order to improve the quality of its services.

In mid-June this year, Viva-MTS announced switch to roaming in Artsakh from July 1, clearing the way for Karabakh Telecom’s regained monopoly.

Citing some rumors, Hakobyan has charged that Karabakh Telecom is given dominant position because Avinyan, Harutyunyan and one of their cronies have stakes in the company.

“There are no official reports confirming it, but there are many rumors especially concerning Tigran Avinyan since he was actively involved in such practices during the war,” the MP said.

“Before the war, Karabakh Telecom held a monopoly and privileged status in Artsakh, but it collapsed amid the crisis immediately after the outbreak of the war. At the time, it was Viva-MTS that provided the people with communication. After the war, it continued its operations in Artsakh, and the people had access to the services of both operators. Karabakh Telecom has become Artsakh’s sole telecom operator again from July 1, and some rumors suggest that the company again gained monopoly because Armenian officials, namely Tigran Avinyan, as well as the Artsakh president own shares in it. However, we cannot verify the reports. We have submitted an inquiry [to the operator’], but have not received a response yet,” she noted.

Commenting on Viva-MTS’s decision to pull out of Artsakh, Arayik Harutyunyan explained that the move came after the telecom company rejected a proposal to “enter the taxation field and to work normally.”

However, Hakobyan says the move was most likely related to the granting of monopoly status to Karabakh Telecom and the shares of officials.

She accused the Armenian and Artsakh officials of ignoring security issues and instead enriching themselves.

“After the war, large business opportunities emerged for those in power in Artsakh, who are strengthening their positions in various spheres,” the lawmaker added.