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What was the purpose of new government system when the same actors reshuffled back in power?

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re-appoints more ministers

re-appoints more ministers

President Armen Sarkissian has signed decrees to re-appoint more cabinet members, reports his press service.Armen Amiryan, David Harutyunyan, Davit Tonoyan and Ignati Arakelyan were re-installed to their posts of culture, justice, emergency and agriculture ministers.

Earlier, Vardan Aramyan, David Lokyan and Suren Karayan were re-appointed as ministers of finance, territorial administration and development, and economic development and reforms.

Under the amended Constitution of Armenia, the president appoints ministers based upon the prime minister’s proposal.

Armenia: Outgoing Armenian ministers must “keep the tempo”

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Prime Minister Karen Karapetian on Thursday urged members of his cabinet to continue working as usual despite having to resign immediately after the new president of Armenia took office on Monday.

Armen Sarkissian will replace incumbent President Serge Sarkissian (no relation) but will largely enjoy ceremonial powers due to the country’s transition to a parliamentary system of government. The Armenian constitution requires Karen Karapetian and all ministers to withdraw on the same day. But they will continue to perform their duties until the formation of a new cabinet.

The National Assembly controlled by the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) is expected to elect a new prime minister on April 17. The latter will have five days to appoint the members of his cabinet who will be formally appointed by the new president in the next two or three weeks.

“On the basis of the constitutional requirement, we will submit the resignation of the government,” Karen Karapetian said at a weekly cabinet meeting in Yerevan. “By using this opportunity, I want to thank you all for the joint work.”

“Do not feel happy,” he added with a smile. “We have to keep working with the same tempo. Do not let go of the tempo. “

Serge Sarkissian should replace Karen Karapetian as Prime Minister and remain in power. Karen Karapetian, on the other hand, is expected to become First Deputy Prime Minister. Observers expect few departmental changes.

The next Armenian Prime Minister will be based in a building in Yerevan that has housed President Serge Sarkissian and his staff for the last decade. Justice Minister Davit Harutiunian said on Thursday that he “will also perform some of his duties” in another office currently occupied by Karen Karapetian and which will serve as a meeting place for the cabinet. These duties are “directly related to the work of the government”, he said without further details.

“The powers of the prime minister have been expanded to the point that he will fulfill a considerable part of the duties of the current president,” Harutiunian told reporters. “In this sense, the building of the presidential administration is adapted to properly exercise a number of powers.”

Under a controversial bill passed by parliament last month, journalists will no longer be able to watch the cabinet meetings in Yerevan live from an adjacent press room. The prime minister can only “do part of the meeting” in front of the press.

Armenia’s major media associations have criticized the change, saying it would make the government less transparent.

Davit Harutiunian, who is the lead author of the bill, again rejected this criticism. He added that the government would continue to publish the agendas of its weekly meetings. He added that journalists would be informed of major decisions made by the executive.

Davit Harutiunian also argued that in virtually every country in the world, cabinet meetings are held in camera.

Saturday, April 7, 2018,
Stéphane © armenews.com

Two deputy ministers dismissed in Armenia

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Upon the decision of Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan two deputy ministers of Energy Infrastructure and Natural Resources have been dismissed from their posts.

According to the information published in the official website of the government Deputy Ministers Areg Galstyan and Iosif Isayan were dismissed under the documents signed today by PM Karapetyan.

To note Minister of Energy Infrastructure and Natural Resources has four deputies. Iosif Isayan has assumed the post since 1999 and Areg Galstyan_ since 2000.

 

Source Panorama.am

Armenian Defense Minister holds meeting with members of U.S. and U.K. expert group

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defense-ministersYEREVAN. – Defense Minister of Armenia Vigen Sargsyan on Wednesday held a meeting with the members of the joint U.S. and U.K expert group of cooperation in defense strategy reconsideration process. The meeting was also attended by the U.S. Ambassador Richard Mills.

At the meeting, the process of reconsidering the defense strategy was discussed and the further steps of cooperation were identified, the press-service of the Defense Ministry reports. Furthermore, special attention was attached to management and military education.

Armenian president signs decrees to appoint ministers

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appoint-ministersAs part of the new cabinet formation process following the prime minister’s replacement, President Serzh Sargsyan on Tuesday signed decrees to appoint ministers.
According to an official statement by the Armenian leader’s press office, four ministers have been so far replaced. Ashot Manukyan was appointed as Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. Ignaty Arakelyan is the new minister of agriculture; Vahan Martirosyan will head the Ministry of Transport and Communication.
Vache Gabrielyan was appointed as Minister-Chief of Staff of Government, and re-appointed to the post Minister of International Economic Integration and Reforms.
In another decree, a deputy chief of the presidential staff, Vardan Aramyan, was relieved of duties to be appointed Minister of Finance.

CSTO Foreign Ministers adopt statement on Karabakh

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csto fmYEREVAN. – Following the July 4 Yerevan meeting, the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers adopted a statement on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Syria. This was stated by Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbanduian at a press briefing following the meeting

Stressing that it is great honor for Armenia to host such a meeting, the foreign minister said that in the framework of Armenia’s chairmanship in the organization, Yerevan will host a meeting of the Collective Security Council in October.

Preparation for the upcoming session was discussed during today’s meeting.

According to the minister, the focus of today’s meeting was the first strategy of the CSTO until 2025. The ministers also discussed the process of implementation of the agreements and decisions taken at the previous meetings.

“Armenia has always played active role in the organization,” he said.

In turn, the CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha said that the focus of the organization remain the issues of combating terrorism.

Armenian ministers’ income declarations released

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Armenian-ministers-income.

Armenian-ministers-income.

Armenia’s Commission on Ethics of High-Ranking Officials has published the property reports and income statements of high-ranking officials and their relatives.

According to the official report, as of the date of his appointment Minister of Finance Gagik Khachatryan declared AMD 269,000,000 (USD$ 561,515.98) and US $ 1,970,000. His wife Laura Yefremyan declared even more, about AMD 180,000,000 (US$ 375,735.60) and USD 2,745,000.

The second richest minister is Minister of Nature Protection Aramais Grigoryan AMD 810,600,425 (US USD 1,692,063.54), RUB 300,000 and USD 776,000. His wife Alisa Grigoryan declared AMD 300,630,945 (USD 627,543.05) in 2013.

The third richest minister is Armenia’s Minister of Transport and Communication Gagik Beglaryan. According to his property reform and income statement for 2013, he had US $92,000 and AMD 535,408,000 (USD 1,117,621.37). His wife Nune Nikolyan declared about AMD 33,700,000 (USD 70,346.05).

Minister of Justice Hovhannes Manukyan declared about AMD 359,000,000 (US $749,121.26).

Minister of Agriculture Sergo Karapetyan declared US $81,200, €75,120 and AMD 174,950,385 (US
$365,041.42).

Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan has a declared income of AMD 51 million (US $26,688)  and €21,827; her total registered assets amount to US $56,000.

As for the minister of health, Armen Muradyan, he has declared AMD 14 million and US $48,000 (total: above US $77,000).

The foreign minister, Edward Nalbandian had registered assets of €49,800 and US $140,000 as of his reappointment date in 2014.

Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Artem Asatryan declared AMD 30,000,000 in 2014 (over US $62,596).
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Yervand Zakharyan was the tenth, with declared assets of AMD 29,800,000 ($6 2,183)

Armen Yeritsyan, the minister of territorial administration and emergencies, declared 25,000,000 (US $52,162) being appointed to post.

Minister of Economy Karen Cshmarityan has declared AMD 550,000 ($1,147), €37,000 and $1,200.

Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan did not submit any income declaration last year; his 2013 declaration reveals a registered income of 18,000,000 (US $37,573).

Some 16,000,000 Drams ($33,398) are registered in Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan’s declaration.

Exactly the same amount was declared by David Harutyunyan, the chief of the Government staff (AMD 6,500,000 or US $13,568 plus US $20,000)

Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Gabriel Ghazaryan has declared AMD 5,000,000 and US $14,000.

Minister of Urban Development Narek Sargsyan comes next, with a registered income of AMD 11,500,000 ($ 7,000,000), $6,000 and €3,500 as of the date of being appointed to office.

The minister of culture, Hasmik Poghosyan, has declared AMD 4 million (US $8,349).

The lowest appear to be the assets of Vache Gabrielyan, the minister of international economic integration and reforms. His declaration reveals a registered income of 1,900,000 (US $4,000).

Report by tert.am