In Armenia, Security Officials Begin To Resign After Pashinyan’s Request

• 18.11.2024, 19:14

The Armenian Prime Minister spoke about citizens’ complaints of crime and corruption, which have caused “his patience to run out.”

Head of the Investigative Committee Argishti Kyaramyan and Minister of Internal Affairs Vahe Ghazaryan have resigned after a corresponding call from Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

On November 15, during a government meeting, Pashinyan criticized the work of the judicial and law enforcement agencies due to citizens’ complaints about the increase in crime and corruption. “Dear colleagues, my patience has run out. I am telling you all directly: this is over. This cannot continue,” Armenia Today quotes him as saying.

On Sunday, the Hraparak publication announced the resignation of a number of ministers and department heads, including head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Vahe Ghazaryan, head of the Anti-Corruption Committee Sasun Khachatryan, the Investigative Committee chief Argishti Kyaramyan, the State Revenue Committee head Rustam Badasyan, and the Minister of Territorial Administration Gnel Sanosyan.

Today, Pashinyan confirmed on his Facebook page that he had indeed asked several officials to resign. “The reasons for making such a request are not personal, but systemic, which I have spoken about publicly,” he wrote, thanking them “for their contribution and understanding” of his appeal. The Prime Minister also emphasized that he cannot deny the merits of “the aforementioned partners in the development of statehood.”