ArmInfo.Time will show what effect the appointment of a civilian defense minister will have on the combat capacity of Armenia, Caucasus Institute Director Alexander Iskandaryan said, when replying to ArmInfo's question.
The expert recalled that the contemporary history of Armenia has known civilian defense ministers - Vazgen Manukyan, Vazgen Sargsyan, Serzh Sargsyan, who, he said, worked quite effectively.
"The appointment of Vigen Sargsyan as defense minister demonstrates that President Serzh Sargsyan will keep his finger on the pulse and keep a close watch on the developments in the Armenian army. I think it is also very important that the newly-appointed minister of defense has good connections with the Russian elite," the expert said, noting that appointment of a civilian as defense minister is a classical Western model.
Iskandaryan noted that security is of critical importance to Armenia and the new Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces Movses Hakobyan will be able to properly carry out his mission.
When speaking of the general power shift in Armenia, the expert stressed that after the July events (seizure of a police compound in Armenia) it became clear that the incumbent authorities' legitimacy considerably fell.
"After the April events, the only unspotted structure - the army - found itself on the line. All the abovementioned factors became the reason of dissolution of the old government. But it is necessary to understand that no single problem in the country can be settled half a year prior to the elections. The issues raised by the new Prime Minister are relevant, but hard work is needed for that. Armenia cannot be turned into Switzerland within 6 months," the expert said.