YEREVAN, November 2, /ARKA/. Over 18 million Drams were exacted in favor of Armenian citizens over the first nine months of the year by Armenia’s office of financial ombudsman. Head of the office, Piruz Sarkisian, told a news conference today that her office received 527 complaints in the nine months, up from 378 in January- October 2009.

She said 11 million Drams were exacted from commercial banks, 2.5 million Drams from insurance companies, 3.2 million Drams from crediting organizations and 1.4 million Drams from pawnshops.

She said 55% of all examined cases were resolved in favor of citizens. The largest amount of exacted compensation was 5.1 million Drams and the smallest one thousand Drams. She said also no instance of refusing to pay compensation was registered over the nine months. The office of financial ombudsman is the first in CIS. It was established in 2009 January. -0-