The price of RA citizenship: 150,000 dollars

Recently, the RA police presented the criteria according to which foreigners who have made a significant contribution in the fields of economy, science, education, culture, healthcare, and sports of Armenia, regardless of their national and ethnic affiliation, can receive RA citizenship. It should be emphasized that the term “regardless of national, ethnic affiliation” logically includes other nations, including Turks and Azerbaijanis, without any obstacles.

According to the project, the following points are among the criteria for acquiring RA citizenship, and therefore also the right to vote, own property, and buy land:

  1) gratuitous provision of funds in the amount of at least 150,000 US dollars to supplement the inviolable capital of a foundation established to carry out activities in the field of education or science.

   2) investment in the charter capital (acquisition of shares) of a commercial organization for at least 150,000 USD for at least 10 years,

   3) acquisition of government bonds in the amount of at least 150,000 US dollars, for at least 7 years,

   4) acquisition of real estate in the amount of at least 150,000 US dollars, for at least 10 years, with a cadastral value approximated to the market value of the real estate,

   5) investment in any investment fund (approved by the state) in the amount equivalent to at least 150,000 US dollars, for at least 10 years

At first glance, under the pretext of giving a boost to the economy and simplifying obtaining citizenship for a significant deposit, there is hidden the sale of the passport of the Republic of Armenia and therefore the right to vote and acquire property, land, the buyers of which can also be from hostile countries without any obstacles. Thus, for example, the 150,000 dollars transferred to the “My Step” fund belonging to the wife of the de facto Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia can guarantee the citizenship of the Republic of Armenia to any individual.

It is also noteworthy that the connection of the project with the strategic document is explained as follows. “The adoption of the project derives from sub-item 1.4 of the program of the RA government: security and foreign policy, relations with the diaspora.” However, the project does not propose any reforms related to the Armenian Diaspora, instead, it offers RA citizenship for foreigners.

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