YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Armenia’s police chief Valeri Osipyan was sacked on September 18, two days after the resignation of the National Security Service’s (NSS) head.
President Armen Sarkissian relieved Osipyan of his duties in a decree requested by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Pashinyan did not immediately explain the move.
In a statement, Osipyan said he “will talk about the reasons for my departure later,” and insisted that he had always been guided by the police “officer’s honor and dignity.”
The government’s official website later announced his appointment as chief adviser to Pashinyan. It didn’t provide further details.
While announcing his resignation on September 16, NSS Director Artur Vanetsyan criticized Pashinyan’s leadership style, which he said runs counter to “an officer’s honor.”
