Why the Prime Minister Dismissed 10 Officials: Details

The dismissals of 10 officials from the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs are related to structural changes. In a conversation with Armenpress, officials from the High Commissioner's office provided this explanation.

By the decision of the Prime Minister, on July 28, ten officials from the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs of the Prime Minister’s Staff have been dismissed from their positions. Specifically, dismissed are the head of the department of European Armenian Communities Karen Bahatour Avanesyan, head of the department of relations with Western European Armenian communities Natalia Shavarshi Danielyan, head of the South American and Australian Armenian communities department Gohar Rafiki Sahakyan, head of the department for accounting and informational analyses of Diaspora potential Vaghinak Anushavani Vardanian, head of the repatriation and research department Grigor Mikhayeli Arshakyan, and head of the international, Pan-Armenian, and ecclesiastical relations department Anahit Hovhannis Davtyan.

Also dismissed are the head of the international relations department Knarik Razmiki Petrosyan, head of the Middle East Armenian communities department Leon Karen Antonyan, head of the department for relations with the Middle Diaspora Taron Artashes Shagoyan, and head of the research department of the repatriation and research department Eliz Alberti Gevorgyan.

The decisions on dismissals published on e-gov.am state, in particular, that these measures were taken based on Article 16, Section 3 and Article 37, Section 1, Point 2 of the Law on Civil Service of the Republic of Armenia. Article 37, Section 1, Point 2 stipulates that the basis for dismissing a civil servant is the reduction of positions and/or in cases as defined by Article 23 of this law (the legal status of civil servants during the reorganization and structural changes of the relevant body).

Several other decisions by the Prime Minister have led to appointments in the Office of the High Commissioner. In particular, it has been decided to transfer Aram Grigori Amirzadyan, head of the CIS Armenian Communities Department, to the legislative initiatives and strategy development division of the High Commissioner's office and to reappoint him as head of that division since July 28, 2020.

Similarly, Anush Arami Petrosyan, head of the department for relations with North American Armenian communities, has been transferred to the legislative initiatives division and also reappointed as head of that division since July 28, 2020.

Sargis Hakobi Aleksanyan, head of the informational-analytical division of the department for accounting and analyzing Diaspora potential, has been reappointed as head of the mapping and registration division of the Office of Diaspora potential since July 28, 2020.

In another decision, Hovhannes Styopa Aleksanyan, head of the repatriation department of the Office of Repatriation and Research, has been transferred to the strategy development division and reappointed as head of that division in the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs since July 28, 2020.

The decisions on the reappointments of Aram Amirzadyan, Anush Petrosyan, and Hovhannes Petrosyan were based on Article 16, Section 3 and Article 23, Section 4 of the Law on Civil Service of the Republic of Armenia and with their written consent. Article 23, Section 4 states that when structural changes occur, a civil servant from a structural subdivision undergoing changes can be transferred with their consent to a structural subdivision not undergoing changes at an equal or lower civil service position.

The decision regarding Sargis Aleksanyan's reappointment was based specifically on Article 16, Section 3 and Article 23, Section 6 of the Law on Civil Service and with Sargis Aleksanyan's written consent. Article 23, Section 6 states that during the reorganization and/or structural changes of the relevant body, a civil servant is reappointed to a position of equal or lower rank, with their consent, except in cases of promotion. In case of promotion, a fixed-term employment contract is concluded with the civil servant, and a competition is announced to fill that position.