Turns Out New Rule of Law Ministers are Friends of Party Leader Artur Baghdasaryan

Rule of Law Party leader Artur Baghdasaryan, responding to questions on the decision to nominate Manuk Vardanyan and Armen Yeritsyan as candidates for minister positions, said that he knows the two candidates, in fact, they’re friends and have published a book together.

“So there is friendship, with both me and our party’s executives. The same can be said as well for Manuk Vardanyan,” he said.

Confronted with a question that asked whether, in Armenia, positions are awarded through friends and known ties, Baghdasaryan said, “There are neither acquaintance nor friendship issues here. I am [simply] saying that I know those individuals. Our political team has walked together with them on the same path, has seen their work.”

Baghdasaryan denied press reports that these were forced appointments, noting that the candidates were agreed with the Armenian president.

The party leader added that the ceremony admitting Yeritsyan and Vardanyan as party members took place yesterday evening.