Sirvard Gevorgian’s appointment as vice-minister formalized by Pashinian on September 6 sparked an uproar from government loyalists. Some of them circulated on social media a photograph of Gevorgian attending a presentation of Kocharian’s book in 2019. She posed for a picture with Kocharian’s daughter while holding a copy of the book.
Gevorgian responded by denying any ties to the ex-president, who leads Armenian’s largest opposition group, and pledging allegiance to Pashinian. She then came under fire from opposition supporters.
The controversy appears to have added to many pro-government lawmakers’ dislike of Justice Minister Grigor Minasian, who picked Gevorgian for the post. Minasian’s fugitive brother Mikael is a son-in-law of another ex-president and opposition leader, Serzh Sarkisian, who was an influential figure during the latter’s 2008-2018 rule.
At least eight parliament deputies from the ruling Civil Contract party have signed since Tuesday a petition calling on Pashinian to sack Minasian. Some of them on Thursday said vaguely that they are unhappy with the minister’s “staffing policy.” Gevorgian announced her resignation later in the day, thanking Pashinian for “great trust shown towards me.”
“Unfortunately, I was attacked by embittered people from both political poles who manipulated everything possible and impossible for their own political interests or personal intrigues,” she said in a Facebook post. “No position or job can force me to attack or repudiate my friends and colleagues.”
Minasian wrote shortly afterwards that in recent days he repeatedly asked Gevorgian not to step down.
“It is a pity that due to the extremely unfair and petty attacks by some individuals our ministry and state system has lost a really valuable specialist and administrator,” he said.
The minister seemed to put the finger at pro-government lawmakers, saying that they must bear “responsibility for such intrigues.”
Minasian has still not commented on the calls for his sacking. He shunned journalists after attending a cabinet meeting earlier on Thursday.