A number of media outlets on Thursday, April 13 published an audio recording, in which the moderator of a meeting of SAS Group employees pressed the latter into "persuading family and friends" to vote for Artak Sargsyan.

Sargsyan is the owner and director of SAS Group and a lawmaker from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) who was re-elected to the parliament on April 2.

In the audio material, recorded prior to the parliamentary elections, the speaker promises bonuses to “those bringing a lot of votes,” and even threatens to dismiss employees who fail to do so.

PanARMENIAN.Net contacted SAS Group for comments, but an employee who seemed to be from the human resources department, said she has no idea what video we are talking about.

Also, PanARMENIAN.Net found out that the prosecutor’s office is studying the case.

Head of RPA faction Vahram Baghdasaryan, in turn, refused to comment, adding that the matter needs thorough investigation.

He said Sargsyan may have been unaware of the meeting altogether.

“Many of our media outlets might have employed some tricks,” he added.