Yerevan State University Should Decide If It Wants Such a Rector – Minister of Education

The rector of Yerevan State University is evidently resorting to manipulation in order to politicize the criminal cases initiated during his years of administration. This was stated by Armenia’s Minister of Education and Science Araik Harutyunyan during a conversation with reporters today.

“At the beginning of January this year, after speaking with Aram Simonian, I personally came to the Prime Minister to present that we must celebrate the centenary of YSU. I received a special instruction from the Prime Minister regarding a grand celebration for the centenary of YSU. The commission had not yet been established at that time because I am also heading the jubilee commissions for the 150th anniversaries of Tumanyan and Komitas. He has clearly lied that such a condition was set before him, that there would be no centenary celebration because you are the rector. The haste and panic he experienced arose, apparently, because he learned the day before that criminal cases would be initiated the following day,” Harutyunyan said.

Harutyunyan added that Aram Simonian is associated with numerous negative phenomena that have existed at YSU and in the higher education sector in general. “This is the framework of my concern,” said the Minister of Education, emphasizing that “YSU should decide for itself whether it wants to have such a rector.”