PanARMENIAN.Net - Chairman of the Public Services Regulatory Commission Mesrop Mesropyan said at a year-end press conference that there is no agenda - even at a theoretical level - to transfer Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) to Turkish companies. He was responding to a question about whether, even hypothetically, management of ENA could be handed over to a Turkish firm.
Mesropyan noted that such claims are voiced by critics but have no objective basis, 1lurer.am reports.
"It was even rumored that last year three senior commission officials allegedly traveled to Turkey to return and negotiate the sale of ENA to Turkish companies, which would be laughable if the idea were not so sad. There is nothing of the sort on the agenda. Therefore, at this moment, I see no sign of selling ENA to any Turkish company," he said.
Mesropyan also stated that under current legislation, ENA may be recognized as being of overriding public interest, Radar Armenia reports.
"The three-month period has not yet expired; you will be informed in the coming days. There is no secret process," he said.
At this stage, after the termination of ENA's distribution license, the next step is for the state, within three months, to initiate a process of acquiring from the former owners the property necessary to carry out licensed distribution activities and to offer a price within that framework.
"If agreement is reached, very good - the ownership right will be transferred upon payment of the corresponding amount. If there is no agreement - and at this point we cannot say what the outcome will be - then, yes, the issue of transferring ownership rights to ENA shares and property will continue under the legal provision of recognizing overriding public interest," he said.
On July 18, the PSRC announced that Romanos Petrosyan, who had been dismissed from the State Control Service, was appointed temporary manager of Electric Networks of Armenia. The commission also initiated proceedings regarding the company's activities based on a government submission.
The PSRC revoked ENA's license from Tashir Capital. Following the decision to terminate the license of Electric Networks of Armenia, negotiations are to be held within the next three months with the company's board of directors on transferring property ownership rights. If the parties fail to reach agreement, the state may assume ownership on the basis of overriding public interest.
Source: PanArmenian.Net
