YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Armenia’s Justice Minister Artak Zeynalian tendered his resignation on Friday, June 7, after just over a year in office.
Zeynalian gave no reason for his decision which he announced on Facebook. Instead, he thanked Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for appointing him as justice minister following last year’s “velvet revolution.” He also thanked Justice Ministry employees for the “interesting, fruitful and responsible joint work.”
“I’m sure that everything will be fine … But if it won’t be fine, it will be very fine,” wrote Zeynalian.
A spokesperson for the Justice Ministry refused to comment on his resignation.
Zeynalian, 49, is a prominent politician and former civil rights campaigner affiliated with the pro-Western Hanrapetutyun (Republic) party. He retained his post even after the party challenged Pashinyan’s My Step alliance in the December 2018 parliamentary elections.
My Step’s parliamentary leader, Lilit Makunts, suggested that his resignation is connected with sweeping judicial reforms planned by the Armenian authorities. Makunts said some My Step lawmakers are unhappy with the reform-related work of the Justice Ministry and Zeynalian in particular.
