The officials who stepped down include Judicial Council President Karen Andreasyan, Anti-Corruption Committee President Sasun Khachatryan, Minister of Internal Affairs Vahe Ghazaryan, Investigative Committee Chairman Argishti Kyaramyan, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan, and State Revenue Committee Chairman Rustam Badasyan. 

Rumors about the resignations circulated on Sunday evening and were officially confirmed on Monday afternoon. 

In a Facebook post addressing the resignations, Pashinyan stated that he had personally requested the departures. He emphasized that his decision was not driven by personal grievances but by systemic issues he had previously highlighted. 

“The reasons for asking them to do so are not personal, but systemic, which I have publicly talked about,” Pashinyan wrote. 

During a cabinet meeting last Thursday, Pashinyan criticized the judiciary and law enforcement for inefficiencies and underperformance, despite significant government investment. 

“Although there are pension and social issues, we have doubled the salaries of those in the judicial, legal, and law enforcement systems, created new institutions, acquired equipment and vehicles, and changed laws—but we still hear excuses,” he said. 

Pashinyan expressed frustration over rising crime rates, inefficiencies in combating corruption, protracted trials, and other systemic shortcomings. 

“My patience is running out,” he stated, vowing to take decisive action. 

MPs from Pashinyan’s ruling party described the resignations as part of a “normal process.” However, opposition figures characterized the move as an attempt to rehabilitate the government’s image ahead of potential elections. 

Tigran Abrahamyan, an opposition MP, suggested the reshuffle was part of a broader pre-election strategy, stating, “The authorities are essentially trying to package all the problems that have accumulated over these years and present them with a new face.” 

Abrahamyan also noted Pashinyan’s recent decision to shave his beard, a move he associated with symbolic image changes since the 2018 Velvet Revolution. 

This wave of resignations is the second in as many months. In October, three officials resigned shortly after Pashinyan criticized the quality of Armenia’s electricity supply, leading to speculation about potential nationalization of a Russian-owned electricity distributor. 

Pashinyan’s recent remarks and actions signal a heightened focus on addressing systemic inefficiencies, though critics suggest the timing aligns with strategic political considerations. (ILKHA)