YEREVAN (RFE/RL, Arka) — Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the members of his cabinet were sworn in on Monday, May 21, in a ceremony led by President Armen Sarkissian.
- Mher Grigoryan, former Ardshinbank board chairman, was appointed deputy prime minister.
- Davit Tonoyan was named Minister of Defense.
- Armenia’s former ambassador to UN Zohrab Mnatsakanyan was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs.
- Mane Tandiliyan, from Pashinyan’s Yelk parliamentary faction, was appointed Minister of Labor and Social Affairs.
- Artak Zeynalyan of Yelk will head the Ministry of Justice.
- Former deputy finance minister Atom Janjughazyan will serve as Minister of Finance.
- Arsen Torosyan was appointed as Health Minister.
- Former governor of the Shirak region, Artur Khachatryan, will head the Ministry of Agriculture.
- Former nature protection minister, Artsvik Minasyan will lead the Ministry of Economic Development and Investments. The latter two are members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun).
- Levon Vahradyan will serve as the country’s Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs.
- Suren Papikyan will head the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development.
- Arayik Harutyunyan will head the Ministry of Education and Science.
- Former sports minister Hrachya Rostomyan was appointed Emergencies Minister.
- Artur Grigoryan is the new Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources.
- Lilit Makunts is Culture Minister.
- Erik Grigoryan is Minister of Nature Protection.
- Ashot Hakobyan is Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technology.
- Mkhitar Hayrapetyan was appointed Minister of Diaspora.
- Valery Osipyan was appointed chief of Police.
- Artur Vanetsyan was named director of the National Security Service.
Pashinyan said on May 21 that he remains determined to force fresh parliamentary elections in Armenia.
“As I have said, pre-term elections are a priority for us,” Pashinyan told reporters after the oath of office.“But it doesn’t mean that this is the only issue that we must solve,” he said. “The government has to function normally and it has and will have long-term programs. One thing doesn’t contradict the other.”
“After all, this government will also be taking part in the pre-term parliamentary elections. In what format? That’s a different issue,” he added.
Pashinyan called for such elections immediately after tens of thousands of his supporters demonstrating in the streets of Yerevan forced Prime Minister and former President Serzh Sargsyan to resign on April 23. He said last week that he expects the polls to be held later this year.
Pashinyan made clear on May 21 that his political team will draft such amendments before the end of June.