Top Armenian security officials, ministers step down following PM's directive

Top Armenian security officials and ministers stepped down Monday following Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's call for their resignation and criticism of their failure to fight corruption.

Pashinyan's rule has been unshaken despite the opposition's attempts to mount a wave of street protest this spring over his handling of a longstanding conflict with arch-foe Azerbaijan.

Early on Monday, Interior Minister Vahe Ghazaryan resigned, as well as the minister for territorial administration, the head of the Anti-Corruption Committee, the head of the Investigative Committee and the chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council.

The prime minister of the Caucasus country wrote on Facebook that he "asked a number of highly placed officials to quit their positions".

"The reasons for such a request are not personal but systemic," he said.

Speaking at a government session on Friday, Pashinyan harshly criticised the work of security agencies, saying they were not effectively fighting corruption.

"People need to see the results of the significant investments made in the judiciary and legal system," he said.

"People are waiting for justice and fairness... Corrupt individuals who should face punishment are spending their days and nights in restaurants."

Opposition leader Tigran Abrahamyan said Pashinyan's move was an attempt to "shift responsibility for failures onto scapegoats" and "сast off his team's negative legacy" a year and a half before parliamentary elections.

"Pashinyan is simply preparing for elections," after vowing to crack down on corrupt former officials and return embezzled assets, said political analyst Vigen Hakobyan.

"He failed to deliver on his electoral promises and is worried about this as elections approach."

Pashinyan has held firm after months of opposition rallies calling for his impeachment over territorial concessions to neighbouring Azerbaijan.

The former journalist swept to power in a peaceful revolution in 2018 and won a resounding election victory in 2021.