YEREVAN (RFE/RL and Public Radio of Armenia) — Karen Karapetian, a top executive at the Russian gas giant Gazprom, has been appointed Armenia’s new prime minister.
Armenia’s presidential press service announced on September 13 that President Serzh Sargsyan had signed a decree appointing him to the post. (See related editorial on page 18.)
Former Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamian resigned on September 8, citing his government’s failure to address challenges facing the country.
Karapetyan, 53, served as the mayor of Yerevan from 2010 to 2011. After leaving the post of mayor, he moved to Moscow where he was appointed as the first vice president of Gazprombank. He then became deputy CEO of Russian gas producer Gazprom’s Mezhregiongaz unit.
In 2015, Karapetian became a deputy director-general of another Gazprom subsidiary, Gazprom Energoholding.
Gazprom fully owns Armenia’s gas and electricity supply and distribution networks via the country’s gas-import firm, Gazprom Armenia.