Ex-advisor to PM Arsen Gasparyan says his resignation is his own decision

Ex-advisor to Armenia’s Prime Minister Arsen Gasparyan referred in interview to Armenpress to the reasons of his resignation, stressing that he has not been dismissed but left the post after filing resignation application at his own wish.

“I was relieved from the position of Prime Minister’s Senior Advisor at my own wish. The Prime Minister’s staff policy may envisage certain re-arrangements and according to staff ethics rules I wouldn’t like to make additional comments. I can only note that my future activities are connected solely with discussions between me and the prime minister,” Gasparyan said when asked why he left the post.

The news media are speculating various reasons of your dismissal. What duties did you have while in office and what can you say about the rumored reasons of your dismissal which are reported in the press?

All reasons mentioned in the press, without exception all, are false. I have dealt with Armenia’s foreign economic ties, I have guided a number of investment projects and I have presented 46 investment projects to the prime minister, a part of which have already been implemented while the remainder is in process. I have led the Waste Management and Re-processing task force, as well as the National Minorities Council. Jointly with the Italian Embassy in Armenia I have organized the Armenian-Italian Business Forum, which took place recently in Yerevan and in Gyumri. Of course I carried out various tasks issued by the Prime Minister in the foreign economic and foreign policy sectors. I was involved in a number of interstate and multilateral negotiations, including over the EEU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, which I am hopeful will get signed on October 1 in Yerevan. I am convinced that in all these directions which I have started positive results will be recorded in the near future thanks to my colleagues at the staff and other state institutions.