ArmInfo. Armenian Minister of Emergency Situations Feliks Tsolakyan opposes the merger of the Ministry of Emergency Situations with the Police. He stated this on April 19 at a press conference, commenting on the talk about a possible merger of the two structures. "Whatever my answer is, it will be subjective, since I'm an interested person. At the same time, I would like to express my attitude," Tsolakyan noted.
As the head of the department pointed out, the functions of the Ministry of Emergency Situations are purely humanistic, and the Police carry out punitive functions. According to him, more than 600 items of equipment that are currently in the fleet of the Emergencies Ministry, were transferred to the agency through humanitarian channels. "In the case of a merger with the Police, humanitarian assistance will be excluded," said Tsolakyan, stressing that he, in principle, is against the creation of another super-ministry. To recall, on April 18, the National Assembly of Armenia in the first reading amended the law "On the structure and activity of the government." It is planned, in particular, to leave the posts of two deputy prime ministers instead of three vice-premiers. In particular, the post of First Deputy Prime Minister is being reduced. Of the 18 ministries, 12 will remain. For example, the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education and Science are united in one structure - the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport. The Ministry of Agriculture unites with the Ministry of Economy into one single organization - the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia. The Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources unites with the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development into a single structure - the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures. The functions of this department will also include all issues related to transport. The new department will include a water management committee, a civil aviation committee and a state property management committee. The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology will be renamed the Ministry of High-Tech Industry with the exception of transport-related functions and the inclusion of functions related to the digital economy and the military-industrial complex. In the future, it is planned that the functions of the committee of the military-industrial complex will fall to this state structure. Instead of the Ministry of Diaspora, the institute of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs under the office of the Prime Minister will begin to apply.