Why Artak Nahapetyan Was Dismissed and Who Will Replace Him

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has dismissed Artak Nahapetyan from the position of director of the rescue service. According to ArmDaily.am, the reason for Nahapetyan's dismissal is a mutiny among employees.

The situation in the Ministry of Emergency Situations has been quite critical for a long time, with numerous employees complaining about Minister Felix Tsolakyan, considering him a weak leader. Many of the complainants are Nahapetyan's employees. It is reported that this is the reason behind his dismissal, as the minister believed that Artak Nahapetyan was unable to control his employees, who were sabotaging their work.

“Hraparak” wrote that Director of the Rescue Service Artak Nahapetyan, along with two deputy directors and heads of five regional departments, initiated a petition against the minister's illegalities and favoritism. Minister Felix Tsolakyan informed Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about the petition.

Who is Artak Nahapetyan? There are many publications in the media regarding Artak Nahapetyan’s career, which started with a fake diploma. Nahapetyan was the head of the Civil Defense Department of the Rescue Service, appointed to this position after the current Minister of Defense Davit Tonoyan became the Minister of Emergency Situations. Tonoyan brought Nahapetyan to the Ministry from the Defense Ministry, where Tonoyan had served as Deputy Minister for many years. Nahapetyan's biography states that he served in the armed forces starting in 1994, beginning his professional life as a platoon commander and reaching the rank of colonel. It is also noteworthy that his biography mentions receiving an award on the occasion of Independence Day.

Who will replace Artak Nahapetyan? According to ArmDaily.am, he will be succeeded by his deputy, Major General Vrej Gabrielian. Vrej Vruyri Gabrielian was born on January 10, 1952, and is a state and military figure in Armenia as well as the Deputy Director of the Rescue Service of the Republic of Armenia. He graduated from the Historical-Geographical Faculty of Yerevan K. Abovyan State Pedagogical Institute and also from the Higher Investigative School of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs in Volgograd.

He began his career as an instructor in a school division and served as a secretary for the regional committee. He has served in the armed forces of the USSR. In 1983, he was assigned to the internal affairs system of the Armenian SSR and was appointed as the deputy head of the internal affairs department of the Shahumyan district of Yerevan for political education. Throughout his service, he has been promoted, becoming head of the transportation section of internal affairs, then deputy head of the internal affairs department, and head of the department from 1992 to 1994. He was also the head of the economic department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and then head of the military mobilization and civil protection department.

In 1996, he was transferred to the RA Ministry of Emergency Situations and appointed as the head of the civil protection and emergency situations inspection. During his years of work there, he was promoted to head of the civil protection and emergency situation headquarters of Yerevan, head of the department, deputy head of the emergency management department, and head of the civil protection and emergency management department. In March 2006, he was appointed Deputy Director of the Rescue Service of Armenia under the Ministry of Territorial Administration.