Ruben Vardanyan removed from post of State Minister of Artsakh

ArmInfo. Artsakh Republic President Arayik Harutyunyan chaired a government meeting at which he presented a decree on the dismissal of Ruben Vardanyan from the post of state minister. This was reported by the press service of the  NKR President.

"All this time, Ruben Vardanyan and I were together, daily monitoring  the developments taking place both in Artsakh and in the outside  world, constantly exchanging ideas about solutions to the current  situation. I am grateful to Mr. Vardanyan for always trying to share  responsibility with me as much as possible both in friendly and  collegiate relations, and did not try to shift it onto me, referring  to the constitutional norms.  But, on the other hand, he realized and  understood the scale and degree of my personal responsibility for the  situation in Artsakh and further problems," the head of state  stressed.

Arayik Harutyunyan noted that he offered to take on the duties of the  state minister to the prosecutor general of the republic Gurgen  Nersisyan, taking into account his professional and human qualities,  professionalism, impartiality, adherence to principles and patriotism  shown in his work.  The president said that the new state minister  will coordinate such areas as all executive bodies, except for the  power structures and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  As ArmInfo  wrote earlier, Varadanyan's resignation was the demand of Azerbaijan  and Turkey. 

Some Armenian media outlets wrote that during his visit to Turkey, RA  Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan promised Ankara to achieve the  dismissal of Ruben Vardanyan.  It is noteworthy that back in December  last year, information resources affiliated with the President of  Artsakh reported that tense relations had developed between the head  of the NKR Arayik Harutyunyan and Ruben Vardanyan.  Moreover, under  pressure from Yerevan, Harutyunyan tried to remove Vardanyan from his  post, but refrained from this step under public pressure. The reason  for the dissatisfaction of the authorities of the Republic of Armenia  was Vardanyan's public statements addressed to the team of the  current Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia.  In particular,  Vardanyan accused the Armenian authorities of insufficient efforts in  unblocking the Lachin corridor.