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NEW GOVERNMENT OF ARMENIA OR OLD DECK OF CARDS
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
May 6 2014
6 May 2014 - 10:38am
By Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
Armenia has concluded formation of a new government that will soon
present its program to the parliament. Ministers for defenses, foreign
affairs, agriculture, science and education, labour and social affairs,
emergencies, culture and the Diaspora have been reappointed.
The new prime minister replaced all economy-related ministers.
Moreover, well-known heavy athlete Yuri Vardanyan has been replaced by
Gabriel Kazaryan, head of the sports section of the Armenian National
Olympic Committee, as the minister for sports and youth affairs.
Vardanyan's dismissal was probably provoked by a scandal around his
son David. The offspring was charged with purchase and smuggling
of high volumes of narcotics. Vardanyan was also in bad terms with
Gagik Tsarukyan, president of the NOC and leader of the prosperous
Armenia Party. The latter has been a much more active developer of
sports that the whole ministry.
Narek Sarkisyan, who had been the chief architect of Yerevan, became
the minister for urban planning. He is notorious for the outrageous
projects for construction of elite housing at the Yerevan city center.
Thousands of locals were moved from their homes as part of the
construction project.
Notorious Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan, infamous for his
controversial plans to raise gas prices, has been replaced by an even
more odious figure - Yervand Zakaryan, the ex-head of the Committee
for Real Estate Registry. He has already worked as the minister for
transportation and communications, head of the Tax Inspection, mayor
of Yerevan. People say that illegal construction and sale of land
lots became massive when Zakaryan was the mayor in 2003-2009. It
is unlikely that a man with such biography would be interested in
development of energy.
The "crown" of the reshuffles among odious functionaries of the
country is Gagik Khachatryan, the new minister for finances. There
are rumours that Khachatryan, who used to be the head of the State
Committee for Income, is actively involved in business with the help
of his relatives. In particular, his family owns 20 large companies.
It is possible that the presidential decree on merging the Committee
and the Ministry for Finances signed on April 30 would give the
functionary plenty of space for his activities.
It seems that the formation of the government was based on the same
deck of cars principle. "Home affairs of Armenia resemble a theater
performance where actors remain the same, only their roles change,"
says expert Arutyun Mesropyan. Though Prime Minister Ovik Abramyan,
unlike his predecessor, is considered a more flexible and cautious
figure, his choice of staff coincides with Tigran Sargsyan's course
for centralization of economy, support of monopolies and assistance
for the criminal and oligarchic system in the basis of the existing
authorities.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/politics/54814.html
From: A. Papazian
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
May 6 2014
6 May 2014 - 10:38am
By Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
Armenia has concluded formation of a new government that will soon
present its program to the parliament. Ministers for defenses, foreign
affairs, agriculture, science and education, labour and social affairs,
emergencies, culture and the Diaspora have been reappointed.
The new prime minister replaced all economy-related ministers.
Moreover, well-known heavy athlete Yuri Vardanyan has been replaced by
Gabriel Kazaryan, head of the sports section of the Armenian National
Olympic Committee, as the minister for sports and youth affairs.
Vardanyan's dismissal was probably provoked by a scandal around his
son David. The offspring was charged with purchase and smuggling
of high volumes of narcotics. Vardanyan was also in bad terms with
Gagik Tsarukyan, president of the NOC and leader of the prosperous
Armenia Party. The latter has been a much more active developer of
sports that the whole ministry.
Narek Sarkisyan, who had been the chief architect of Yerevan, became
the minister for urban planning. He is notorious for the outrageous
projects for construction of elite housing at the Yerevan city center.
Thousands of locals were moved from their homes as part of the
construction project.
Notorious Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan, infamous for his
controversial plans to raise gas prices, has been replaced by an even
more odious figure - Yervand Zakaryan, the ex-head of the Committee
for Real Estate Registry. He has already worked as the minister for
transportation and communications, head of the Tax Inspection, mayor
of Yerevan. People say that illegal construction and sale of land
lots became massive when Zakaryan was the mayor in 2003-2009. It
is unlikely that a man with such biography would be interested in
development of energy.
The "crown" of the reshuffles among odious functionaries of the
country is Gagik Khachatryan, the new minister for finances. There
are rumours that Khachatryan, who used to be the head of the State
Committee for Income, is actively involved in business with the help
of his relatives. In particular, his family owns 20 large companies.
It is possible that the presidential decree on merging the Committee
and the Ministry for Finances signed on April 30 would give the
functionary plenty of space for his activities.
It seems that the formation of the government was based on the same
deck of cars principle. "Home affairs of Armenia resemble a theater
performance where actors remain the same, only their roles change,"
says expert Arutyun Mesropyan. Though Prime Minister Ovik Abramyan,
unlike his predecessor, is considered a more flexible and cautious
figure, his choice of staff coincides with Tigran Sargsyan's course
for centralization of economy, support of monopolies and assistance
for the criminal and oligarchic system in the basis of the existing
authorities.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/politics/54814.html
From: A. Papazian