Extensive Inspections at the State Revenue Committee: Davit Ananyan Likely to Be Replaced by Shushanika Nersisyan

Yesterday, Davit Ananyan, the head of the State Revenue Committee of Armenia, submitted his resignation. The resignation was a surprise both within the committee and outside of it.

The ruling Civil Contract Party has not been particularly satisfied with Ananyan, considering him a soft manager who does not penalize "the people" or oligarchs. At one point, Ananyan countered this by stating, "In all cases, it is not necessary to remove people from positions and replace them with inexperienced young staff." This statement has been consistently recalled during thematic discussions at the Civil Contract Party's executive meetings, according to the newspaper "Zhoghovurd."

In any case, Ananyan did not publicly reveal the reasons for his dismissal, expressing only his gratitude: "I thank everyone for the efficient and fruitful cooperation, as well as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for trusting me with this responsible position for more than two years." This vague text raises numerous questions. In particular, did Ananyan wish to leave, or did the Prime Minister say this? This is a very important point, especially considering one of Pashinyan's statements during an online press briefing regarding departing officials: "In many cases, I am not worried; on the contrary, I am very pleased with such developments," he said while discussing personnel changes within his team. Is Ananyan's departure among the concerning cases or not?

Regardless, some details about the ongoing processes around the State Revenue Committee have come to light. According to our information, the State Control Service recently began inspections at the State Revenue Committee. Seda Akhbalyan, the spokesperson for the State Control Service, confirmed the information on inspections, stating that the start of inspections was mandated by a decree on May 12. "Certain risks have been identified, based on which a study has been initiated. It is a comprehensive study," she added.

Whether these inspections and possible revelations could have been the cause for Ananyan's removal remains to be seen. Nonetheless, following the news of Ananyan's dismissal, discussions began regarding his successor. According to our information, Shushanika Nersisyan, one of Ananyan's deputies, is being considered as the most likely replacement. It is no secret that she enjoys the favor of the current authorities, and there are opinions that she is easy to manage. Although Rafik Mashadyan has significant influence within the State Revenue Committee, it is most likely that the choice will not land on him. Moreover, according to our sources, it is not ruled out that he too may submit a letter of resignation in the near future,” the newspaper writes.

Read the full article in today's issue of the newspaper.