Pashinyan: The force demanding resignation of the Education Minister  has no future 

ArmInfo. There is no specific person in the field of education, who implements policies;  this is the prerogative of the government. On December 4, the Prime  Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan stated this in  response to a question about the position of the executive body on  the requirements for the resignation of the Minister of Education,  Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia Arayik  Harutyunyan.

As the head of government noted, the resignation of the minister  cannot be carried out on the basis of a whim of political force with  zero influence on society. This is a party, continued Nikol  Pashinyan, which for many years was one of the pillars of a corrupt  system, to say the least. And if this force itself does not give an  assessment to its elite, it will have no future in Armenia. "It has  no future, and this applies not only to this political force, but to  all those with whom this force sat at a long table for a long period  of time," said Nikol Pashinyan.

To recall, yesterday the police dispersed the protesters against the  Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia Arayik  Harutyunyan, who blocked one of the central streets of Yerevan.  Activists of the ARF "Dashnaktsutyun" youth union (ARF) gathered  outside the building of the Armenian Ministry of Education and  Science, demanding a meeting with the head of the department Arayik  Harutyunyan and his resignation. The minister himself does not intend  to abandon the displeasing initiative regarding the teaching of a  number of compulsory disciplines at universities, and considers the  meeting with the protesters pointless. Arayik Harutyunyan's refusal  to meet heated the situation, the demonstrators tried to break into  the building of the ministry. As a result, a scuffle broke out with  the police. The protesters blocked the nearby Vazgen Sargsyan Street  and refused to unblock it contrary to the requirements of law  enforcement officers. In response to the refusal to unblock the road,  the police started to disperse, about 20 activists were taken to the  police station.

To note, according to the project of the Ministry of Education,  Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia, the subjects "Armenian  language", "Armenian literature" and "History of Armenia" should not  be included in the list of compulsory disciplines of non-core  specialties in universities. This document is routinely directed to  discussions in specialized institutions. In this regard, from  November 7, the ARF "Dashnaktsutyun" youth union (ARF) demands the  resignation of the head of the Ministry of Education and Science  Araik Harutyunyan, explaining that the project will damage the  position of the state language and national values.  Earlier,  demonstrators in Yerevan left empty boxes at the entrance to the  ministry so that Araik Harutyunyan would pack his things there when  he resigned. On empty boxes there were inscriptions in the spirit:  "Leave with dignity", "Antinational grants", "Gifts", "Clothes". The  minister himself said that he was ready to fill these boxes with  criminal cases against the Dashnaktsutyun members.