“Be Very Careful”: Wife of an NSS Official Resigns, Issues Threat

On October 3, Christina Vardanyan was appointed as the Deputy Head of the Education Department of the Yerevan Municipality, according to the decision of the Mayor of Yerevan. Reports circulating on the internet suggest that she is the wife of Razmik Mikayelyan, Head of the NSS Yerevan Department. This appointment was criticized by Vahram Soghomonyan, the director of the Participatory School, who deemed it a return to old customs and a nepotistic appointment.

Even before her appointment, on September 28, he made a post on his page stating, “In this security situation, a high-ranking NSS official is trying to place his wife's director of a kindergarten within the education department of the Yerevan Municipality, thereby dismantling the educational reforms in Yerevan. The transformation of the Yerevan department is based on a UN study, and attempts are being made to turn the reform against its goals. If the ruling party and the Yerevan Municipality engage in actions reminiscent of the former Republican Party and return those carrying an old value system, then the consequences will be severe. While we are trying to advance the educational reform, old networks are re-organizing behind our back. This will not happen.”

After the appointment on October 10, Soghomonyan wrote, “The Mayor of Yerevan has appointed the wife of the NSS head of Yerevan as the acting Deputy Head of the Education Department. These people were celebrating Teacher's Day, but they are appointing cadres contradictory to the spirit of reforms in the education administration. Apparently, the NSS has resolved issues concerning Azerbaijan and Turkey, and now they are involved with education.”

This criticism has taken a toll on the wife of the NSS high-ranking official, who decided a few days later to submit her resignation from the post of the Deputy Head of the Education Department due to the “pressure.” Yesterday, she posted Soghomonyan’s “victorious” post on her Facebook page, informing that Christina Vardanyan has written a resignation letter and provided an explanation regarding her departure. She even managed to lightly threaten Soghomonyan, who she claimed was “after her.”

Under public pressure, Christina Vardanyan decided to submit her resignation letter: “Dear Facebook friends, this individual shows explicit interest in the Yerevan Municipality's Education Department and has repeatedly published posts indicating that he cares about the field. However, one thing is clear: he is a close friend of the head of the mentioned department, Margarita Khachatryan, who is a social worker by profession and has inexplicably been appointed as the head of a department that should coordinate an entire educational sector. Together, they have worked hard to bring me to the point where, according to my application, I have been released from a job that I loved dearly, solely because it was not appropriate to involve the education department of the Yerevan Municipality in their commercial and street publications. They are attacking a person – namely me – who has worked for many years and earned the respect of thousands of parents, hundreds of employees, and colleagues. I understand your fears, but one thing is clear: the wife of an NSS employee posed a danger to you as someone knowledgeable in the field. Now, yes, you are free in your mutually beneficial dealings, but be very careful from now on,” Vardanyan wrote.

In response, Vahram Soghomonyan noted, “I am pleased to inform you that due to active civic efforts, the temporary appointee mentioned in the previous post has submitted her resignation and left the Yerevan Municipality’s Education Department. Yes, law enforcement agencies should focus on their domain and not arrange jobs for acquaintances. I thank all principled individuals in various public and governance sectors.”