Nikol Pashinyan on the statement of Arthur Vanetsyan: If an officer  does this, he throws his epaulettes into the ballot box

ArmInfo. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan believes that the former head of the National Security Service (NSS) Arthur Vanetsyan, having made a  statement against his supreme commander in chief, threw his  epaulettes into the ballot box. The head of the Armenian government  stated this on the eve of September 22 during a press conference in  Los Angeles.

Answering the question of the journalist that the statement on the  resignation of Vanetsyan from the post of director of the National  Security Council was circulated on social networks even while he was  holding this post, as well as the fact that the prime minister  promised "to give a new impetus to the fight against corruption, can  one suggest that the former director of the SNB prevented this fight,  "Nikol Pashinyan, said:" As a de jure director of the SNB, he  essentially makes a statement against his supreme commander, and,  being a body subordinate to the prime minister, makes a statement  against his leadership There can be no greater insult for the honor  of an officer. You understand what this means. I only found out that  this appeal was posted on the SNB website. It seemed to me that at  that time the decree had already been signed, even if it was it would  be after signing the decree, it raises questions. They removed it.  What else would they do? Leave it? For the officer to do this? You  know what it means to throw epaulettes into the trash can. The last  time this was done in 1991 the coup year, "said the Prime Minister.

He emphasized that the government of the new Armenia is not that  government, and Armenia is not the country where this can happen.  Pashinyan called this disrespect for the armed forces of Armenia.   According to him, he is glad that the Armenian public gave their very  clear assessment of this phenomenon.  Earlier, on September 16, the  Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan during a press conference  announced that he was sending Vanetsyan to resign as head of the  special service. Following this, Vanetsyan himself announced his  departure. According to him, state building has its own logic:   spontaneous decisions, sweeping actions, the absence of differences  between the primary and secondary - this is not the way that leads to  the achievement of goals. "This has nothing to do with the officer's  honor, his epaulettes and such a course of events are incompatible.  Let my resignation be a sobering step:" Stop!  "Vanetsyan said in a  statement. Commenting on Vanetsyan's statement, Vladimir Karapetyan  expressed doubt about his authorship." It is necessary to find out  who wrote the text attributed to Arthur Vanetsyan.  We hope that its  authors are not PR offices of corrupt officials who, "by  misunderstanding," escaped criminal liability. We urge General  Vanetsyan not to lose the dignity of the officer to which he refers.  " "I consider it naive to think that the text was not written by me.  I wrote the text, but my assistant Armen Davtyan edited it,"  Vanetsyan remotely answered him.

Arthur Vanetsyan was appointed Director of the NSS on May 10, 2018.  Vanetsyan worked in the structures of the National Security Service  for many years. In particular, he was the head of the Yerevan branch  of the National Security Council of Armenia, in 2015 he was awarded  the state award by the then Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan. He had  the rank of lieutenant colonel, but on July 5 this year Armenian  President Armen Sargsyan, at the suggestion of the prime minister,  signed a decree on awarding the rank of Major General to the Director  of the National Security Service of Armenia, Arthur Vanetsyan.