15 People Traveling to Moscow with Pashinyan, 7 of Whom Are Bodyguards – Special Flight Organized

Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has signed a decision to send a government delegation from Armenia to Russia. The decision reveals that the delegation comprises 16 individuals, including 7 security personnel.

During this time, Tigran Avinyan will replace Nikol Pashinyan.

Below is the decision:

“According to Article 7, Part 5 of the Law of the Republic of Armenia on the Structure and Activities of the Government:

1. To send a government delegation from the Republic of Armenia on a working visit to the Russian Federation (Moscow) on July 7, 2021, as per the attached document.

2. During the aforementioned delegation's stay, the acting responsibilities of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia shall be entrusted to the acting Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan.

3. To include the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Russian Federation, Vardan Toghanyan, in the government delegation.

4. Expenses related to the government delegation’s trip to the Russian Federation (Moscow), including airport service costs, shall be incurred according to the actual expenses supported by relevant documents:

1) Nikol Pashinyan, Mane Gevorgyan, Vahe Hakobyan, Hrachya Tashchyan, Arman Shahinyan, and Tigran Mehrabyan, as well as expenses related to representation and vehicle rental from the budget allocated for foreign trips under the Prime Minister's Office of the Republic of Armenia. Expenses related to the purchase of souvenirs shall be covered from the budget allocated for representation expenses in the Prime Minister’s Office.

2) Razmik Margaryan from the state protocol service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

3) Robert Kavkasyan from the funds designated for official foreign trips in the 2021 state budget of the Republic of Armenia.

4) Grigor Arakelyan, Vahagn Abgaryan, Vahan Smbatyan, Narek Gharibyan, Aghvan Ishkhanyan, Mikhail Atabekyan, and Aram Eloyan from the funds of the State Protection Service of the Republic of Armenia.

5. Expenses related to the implementation of necessary measures for adherence to epidemiological regulations during the delegation’s trip to the Russian Federation shall be borne by funds designated for official foreign trips in the 2021 state budget, as per the report provided by the Ministry of Health.

6. The head of the Prime Minister's Office shall organize a special flight on July 7, 2021, on the Yerevan-Moscow-Yerevan route.

7. The head of the Civil Aviation Committee shall assist the Prime Minister's Office in the organization of the flight mentioned in point 6 of this decision.

8. Expenses related to the organization of the special flight shall be covered from the funds allocated for foreign trips in the Prime Minister's Office.

It is worth noting that Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the President of Russia, stated that the meeting will take place in the afternoon and that there will be no documents signed during the meeting of the country leaders.