Former Head of Yerevan's Central Administrative District Appointed to New Position

The former head of Yerevan's Central Administrative District, Viktor Mnatsakanyan, has been appointed as the director of the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra and the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall. In a conversation with Sputnik Armenia, he mentioned that he received the offer from Maestro Edward Topchyan, the artistic director and principal conductor of the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra, during the summer. However, due to the prevailing epidemiological situation and the war in the country, the official appointment had been delayed.

On October 19, 2019, Mnatsakanyan announced his resignation from the mayor's office in a Facebook post. He stated that his decision had no political context, but was motivated by a desire to benefit the city and the country. At the same time, Mnatsakanyan assured that he would not sever ties with his team of colleagues.

Later, the media reported that his resignation could be linked to political statements made by Mikael Minasyan, the son-in-law of Armenia's third president Serzh Sargsyan and Mnatsakanyan's godfather. Yerevan's Deputy Mayor Hayk Sargsyan commented on these rumors, telling reporters that Minasyan's statements had nothing to do with the Yerevan municipality, and therefore he did not wish to comment on those statements. Mnatsakanyan remarked that being a pupil of Mikael Minasyan does not mean bearing “his stigma.”