Armenian president appoints new government

YEREVAN, June 18. /ARKA/. Armenia’s president Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree Saturday on the appointment of new Cabinet members formed following the parliamentary elections on May 6.

According to the presidential press service, Diaspora minister Ms. Hranush Hakobyan, minister of culture Ms. Hasmik Poghosyan, minister of territorial administration, vice-prime minister Armen Gevorgyan, minister of education and science Armen Ashotyan, minister of nature protection Aram Harutyunyan, minister of finance Vache Gabrielian, minister of economy Tigran Davtyan, minister of energy and natural resources Armen Movsisyan and minister of justice Hrayr Tovmasyan have retained their posts. 

Three ministerial portfolios, formerly held by the Prosperous Armenia Party were given to the ruling Republican Party of Armenia. Thus, rector of the Yerevan State Medical University Derenik Dumanian was appointed health minister, Artem Asatryan, who served as deputy labor and social security minister was appointed minister and former Yerevan mayor Gagik Beglarian was appointed transport and communications minister replacing Manuk Vardanyan. The post of sports and youth affairs minister was given to the secretary general of the National Olympic Committee Hrachya Rostomyan.  

Under the power-sharing agreement signed with Orinats Yerkir the latter received the portfolios of minister of agriculture – Sergo Karapetyan was reappointed to his post, Samvel Tadevosyan was appointed urban planning minister and Armen Yeritsian was reappointed as emergencies minister.

Earlier on June 4 the president reappointed defense minister Seyran Ohanian and foreign minister Edward Nalbandian.

The Republican Party won a landslide victory in the May 6 election with 44.02% of the vote. In the new parliament it controls 69 seats out of 131. The Prosperous Armenia of businessman Gagik Tsarukian won 30.12% and controls 37 seats, the opposition Armenian National Congress won 7.08% and has 7 seats. Zharangutyun (Heritage), the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) won over 5% just enough to overcome the threshold. They control from 5 to 6 seats each. -0-