President of Artsakh dismisses Ruben Vardanyan as state minister

YEREVAN, February 23. /ARKA/. Nagorno-Karabakh president Arayik Harutyunyan has dismissed today Ruben Vardanyan as State Minister. The decision was announced at a government meeting.

Harutyunyan praised Vardanyan's efforts in raising international awareness of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem and in solving many internal problems during the blockade of the road that links Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia by Azerbaijan.

"All this time Ruben Vardanyan and I have been together, following daily developments both in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and in the outside world, constantly exchanging ideas on solutions to the situation. I am grateful to Mr. Vardanyan for sharing responsibility with me as much as possible, both as a friend and as a colleague, rather than trying to shift it to me. But, on the other hand, he was aware and understood the extent and degree of my personal responsibility for the situation created in Artsakh and further problems," Harutyunyan said.

Harutyunyan said he offered the vacant job to the Prosecutor General Gurgen Nersisyan, taking into account his professional and human qualities, mpartiality, principledness and patriotism.

The president said that the new state minister will coordinate all bodies of executive power, except for law enforcement agencies and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Vardanyan was appointed to the post of Artsakh State Minister on November 4, 2022. Vardanyan, a billionaire and social entrepreneur, renounced his Russian citizenship in 2022 September and moved to Nagorno-Karabakh. Later he agreed to take up as Artsakh State Minister (prime minister). -0-