Armenia’s National Security Chief Fired
Tuesday, September 17, 2019Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Monday dismissed Armenia’s National Security Service chief Arthur Vanetsyan, in a move that Pashinyan called a “mutual agreement.” In a separate announcement, Vanetsyan said he had resigned his post hinting at disagreements with the prime minister.
“I have signed the motion on dismissing the director of the national security service,” said Pashinyan. Later on Monday, President Armen Sarkissian made Vanetsyan’s dismissal official in a signed decree removing him from office.
“This [the dismissal] has taken place in a mutual agreement with the NSS Director as a result of several discussions. We have discussed several options for Mr. Vanetsyan’s future activities,” added Pashinyan.
Vanetsyan, who was appointed in May 2018, will remain the head of Armenia’s National Soccer Federation.
“I made the decision to resign from the post of Director of the National Security Service of Armenia,” said Vanetsyan in an announcement he issued through his office. “I consider this decision the most preferable and the most grounded option to serve the Republic of Armenia and my people in the current situation and in the context of the future.”
He explained that he has been transparent in carrying out the role of Armenia national security chief, adding that he was guided by the principle honoring the homeland and the office “above everything.”
“State-building has its logic. Impulsive actions and decisions coupled with a work style of not differentiating between primary and secondary objectives and transient and lasting things is not the path leading to the realization of goals,” Vanetsyan said in his tersely-worded statement, which was released while Pashinyan was holding a press conference during which he touted the “100 accomplishment” of his government.
Vanetsyan said that such work style “has nothing in common with an officer’s honor,” adding that the course of events were unbearable to shoulder.
“Let my resignation serve as a sobering ‘Stop’ sign,” Vanetsyan concluded his statement without elaborating.
While Pashinyan declined to respond to the Vanetsyan’s criticism when reporters told him about it during his news conference, his spokesperson Vladimir Karapetyan shot back, telling Armenpress that “It has to be clarified who wrote the text attributed to Artur Vanetsian.”
“We hope that its [Vanetsyan’s statement] authors are not the PR offices of corrupt persons who have ‘mistakenly’ avoided prosecution,” said Karapetuan. “We are calling on General Vanetsyan not to lose the officer’s dignity he cited.”
http://asbarez.com/185530/armenias-national-security-chief-fired/