YEREVAN (A.W.)—The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) said that it has accepted newly appointed Prime Minister (PM) Karen Karapetyan’s offer to give Economy Minister Artsvik Minasyan, a different ministerial post.
Artsvik Minasyan (Photo: Panorama.am)
ARF Parliamentary Faction secretary and ARF Supreme Body of Armenia member Aghvan Vardanyan told reporters on Sept. 26 that Minasyan would likely occupy the post of Environment Minster. According to Vardanyan, David Lokyan, the acting Minister of Territorial Administration and Development and Levon Mkrtchyan, the acting Minister of Education and Science, will continue in their current positions
Vardanyan told reporters that PM Karapetyan would like to see Ministry of Economy be headed by a businessman. “Minasyan, who is perfectly aware of the economic and political situation in the country, has no relation to businesses,” Vardanyan said.
On Sept. 23, Minasyan told reporters that he was willing to leave the Ministry of Economy because he disagreed with Karapetian’s plans to rename it the “Ministry for Investments and Business Support.”
Karapetyan initiated a tense verbal exchange with Minasyan on Sept. 15, when he questioned Minsayan’s request to grant a tax incentive to a private firm that had lodged a corresponding application with the Economy Ministry, during a cabinet meeting.
During the Sept. 26 press conference, Vardanyan said that despite some disagreements, the ARF supports Karapetyan’s economic reform agenda and remains committed to the co-operation it signed with the ruling Republican Party (RPA) on February 24.
The parliamentary leader of the RPA Vahram Baghdasaryan confirmed on Sept. 26 that the ARF will have three ministerial portfolios in Karapetyan’s cabinet, which is likely to be formed by the end of this week.
Source: Armenian Weekly
Link: ARF Accepts Ministerial Change; Will Keep Three Ministries