“Hetq”: AMD 46.5 million spent on Etchmiadzin’s 2,711th anniversary celebrations: AMD 6.6 million for Eric, AMD 4.4 million for Iveta Mukuchyan
After the celebrations marking Etchmiadzin’s 2,711th anniversary, the Vagharshapat Municipality has still not published a complete financial report on the events. Instead, separate decisions have been appearing on the municipality’s official website under backdated dates, revealing how much was paid from the municipal budget to singers, organizations, and service providers.
According to Hetq’s investigation, the total amount of already published contracts and payments is at least AMD 46 million 521 thousand. Moreover, this is not the final figure: the municipality has confirmed that the payments have not yet been made in full.
On October 8, 2026, concerts, fireworks, festivals, children’s and entertainment programs were organized on the occasion of the 2,711th anniversary of Etchmiadzin’s founding. Before the events, it was only known that a contract worth AMD 24 million had been signed with Event Platform LLC for the rental of the concert stage and lighting.
The decisions of the community mayor published after the celebrations also revealed the amounts paid to performers. AMD 4 million 400 thousand was paid from the municipal budget for organizing singer Iveta Mukuchyan’s performance, while AMD 6 million 600 thousand was paid to Light Up Company LLC for singer Eric Karapetyan’s performance. The organization of the Kamifriends Project concert cost AMD 2 million 500 thousand, while the presenter’s services cost AMD 300 thousand.
Thus, the total cost of the stage and lighting rental contract and the concert services alone amounts to AMD 37 million 800 thousand.
AMD 4 million 997 thousand was transferred to Holiday Design LLC for organizing the fireworks.
Separate amounts were also allocated for children’s and entertainment events. Individual entrepreneur Gohar Martirosyan was paid AMD 220 thousand for chalk drawings, a bubble show, and fairy-tale character services, AMD 100 thousand for a trampoline, AMD 160 thousand for photography services, and AMD 280 thousand for the preparation of invitations.
The installation and servicing of bio-toilets cost AMD 330 thousand. AMD 980 thousand was transferred to individual entrepreneur Karen Khachatryan to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply using a generator.
Expenses for the decoration and other organizational aspects of the events were also paid from the municipal budget. Approximately AMD 350 thousand was spent on the production of badges, AMD 491 thousand on banners, and AMD 995 thousand was paid to Peno-Decor LLC for the production and installation of decorations. The purchase of fabric in the colors of the Etchmiadzin flag cost AMD 308 thousand.
AMD 700 thousand was paid to individual entrepreneur Arsen Hakobjanyan for covering the celebrations, while AMD 241 thousand was paid to P&D Group LLC for the purchase of chocolate bars.
The municipality is not presenting a complete report
Before the events, Hetq had approached the Vagharshapat Municipality, requesting a detailed calculation of the expenses for the celebrations. It had requested that the municipality separately indicate the remuneration of the participants in the concert program, the costs of renting equipment, fireworks, and organizing festivals, exhibitions, performances, and children’s programs.
The municipality had responded that the calculation of the expenses was not yet complete and that the information would be provided once it was ready. However, more than three weeks have passed since the celebrations, and the complete report has still not been provided.
Instead, decisions have been published separately on the municipality’s website, sometimes without any content. Hetq’s investigation found that some documents were initially posted on the website with blank content and were later filled in. For example, Community Head Decision No. 1705-A was initially published under the title “Fin” without any content. It was later revealed that it concerned a payment of approximately AMD 5 million.
Similar blank decisions are still present on the website under the titles “soc” and “building materials.” Their contents may also be filled in later.
As a result of this practice, city residents are forced to examine the municipality’s various decisions separately in order to understand what their tax money is being spent on. And the published AMD 46.5 million is only the amount that can currently be identified from the available documents.
This picture of municipal spending is particularly noteworthy against the backdrop of the city’s everyday problems. Etchmiadzin continues to face unresolved issues including the poor condition of roads, sewage water flooding the basements of apartment buildings, and unfinished kindergartens. Under these circumstances, the allocation of millions of drams for festive events requires at least a complete and publicly available report.
The municipality has still not presented the final cost of the celebrations. Therefore, AMD 46 million 521 thousand is not the final balance of expenses, but only the amount revealed so far. Information regarding every payment made from the municipal budget should be accessible to residents, without requiring them to search through documents published under backdated dates.