Why Arshak Karapetyan was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense instead of Minister

«Hraparak» newspaper reports: “It was announced yesterday that Vagharshak Harutyunyan resigned from the position of Acting Minister of Defense, and then the presidential office informed the media that Prime Minister Pashinyan proposed the candidacy of Arshak Karapetyan, the first deputy head of the Armed Forces General Staff, for that position.

However, Pashinyan does not have the right to appoint a minister or Acting Minister in the current status, as he himself is Acting Minister. Article 150 of the Constitution states: 'The government is formed within 15 days after the appointment of the Prime Minister. After his appointment, the Prime Minister proposes the candidates for Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers to the President within 5 days. The President appoints the Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers within three days or applies to the Constitutional Court. The Constitutional Court examines the application and makes a decision within 5 days. If the President does not fulfill the requirements set by this article within three days, the respective Deputy Prime Minister or Minister is considered appointed by virtue of law.'”

They probably realized this later, and by the end of the day, Karapetyan was appointed as Deputy Minister of Defense.”