Versand Fransiki Hakobyan (Armenian: Վերսանդ Ֆրանսիկի Հակոբյան; 15 September 1950 – 19 July 2022) was an Armenian aviation executive, oligarch, and politician who served in the National Assembly of Armenia as a member of Prosperous Armenia from 2007 until 2012.
Versand Hakobyan | |
|---|---|
Վերսանդ Հակոբյան | |
 | |
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office 2007–2012 | |
| Constituency | District 12 (Yerevan) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 September 1950 Bazarchai, Armenian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Died | 19 July 2022 (aged 71) |
| Political party | Prosperous Armenia |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Kyiv Institute of Civil Aviation Engineers |
Biography
editHakobyan was born on 15 September 1950 in the village of Bazarchai, Syunik Province in the Armenian SSR. In 1973, Hakobyan graduated from the Kyiv Institute of Civil Aviation Engineers, and he graduated from the same institution again in 1985. From 1973 until 1994, Hakobyan worked as an engineer at Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan, and from 1994 until 2002, he was the head of the passenger transportation department. From 2002 until 2007, he was the representative for Armenian Airlines in the United Arab Emirates.[1]
Due to the wealth and influence of Hakobyan and his family, they were referred to as oligarchs.[2] During his career, Hakobyan had been the owner of Air Armenia alongside fellow MP Gagik Tsarukyan,[3] and he joined his brother Hrayr Hakobyan as owner-director of Armenian International Airways and owner-director of the Yerevan Champagne Wines Factory.[2][4] Additionally, the Hakobyan family together own a "network of restaurants in Yerevan and Moscow, an insurance company, a taxi service, large tracts of land, a tobacco plant and other businesses".[2]
In the 2003 Armenian parliamentary election, Hakobyan was the Prosperous Armenia nominee in a by-election for the National Assembly of Armenia, contesting District 12, which covered part of Yerevan. Though Hakobyan was regarded as an ally of Robert Kocharyan, the president of Armenia, he was defeated by Republican Party of Armenia nominee Harutyun Gharagyozian.[5][6] However, in the 2007 Armenian parliamentary election, Hakobyan was elected to the National Assembly for the same district. Prosperous Armenia chose not to renominate Hakobyan for the 2012 Armenian parliamentary election.[4][7]
Hakobyan had three children.[8] He died on 19 July 2022 from "health problems".[9]
References
edit- ^ "Former NA deputy Versand Hakobyan died". Bavnews (in Armenian). 19 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ a b c Sayadyan, Liana (29 September 2008). "Armenian Oligarches Active in France". Hetq. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ Babayan, Nelly (25 September 2015). "Did open sky close the air of Air Armenia?". Aravot. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
- ^ a b Sarukhanyan, Vahe (5 December 2015). "Armavia: Controlling The Armenian Skies". Hozir. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ Kalantarian, Karine (16 June 2003). "High Court Orders Repeat Election In Another Constituency". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (in Armenian). Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ Sargsyan, Vache (28 May 2003). "Press review". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (in Armenian). Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ "Heritage's Anahit Bakhshyan to run in constituency 12". PanARMENIAN.Net. 25 February 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ "Versand HAKOBYAN". Parliament of Armenia. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ "Former NA deputy Versand Hakobyan died". Galatv (in Armenian). 19 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2022.