Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian criticized on Monday the head of Armenia’s Cadaster Committee who has resigned in protest against government policies on urban development.
Sarhat Petrosian, who was appointed to run the government agency following last year’s “Velvet Revolution,” tendered his resignation on Friday. In a statement, he said he “can no longer tolerate dilettantism and sectarianism bordering on corruption.”
Petrosian, whose agency regulates and registers property deals in Armenia, hit out at the current and former heads of the government’s Urban Development Committee. The latter now works as an adviser to Avinian.
Avinian rejected the criticism, saying that Petrosian wanted to overstep his powers. “The post of head of the Cadaster Committee did not allow him to operate in the area of urban development,” he told reporters. “I presume that Mr. Petrosian is a bit disappointed with this fact.”
Avinian dismissed Petrosian’s claim that government regulation of urban development in the country has “regressed” despite a buoyant real estate market. “I think that Mr. Petrosian, who has not been the head of the Urban Development Committee, hardly has in-depth knowledge of problems existing in the area of urban development,” he said.
The head of the committee, Vahagn Vermishian, could not be reached for comment.
In his resignation statement, Petrosian did not give examples of mismanagement and incompetence alleged by him. He said he will talk about concrete cases later on.
The 37-year-old official held a farewell meeting with his staff on Monday. In a Facebook post later in the day, he thanked well-wishers for their support. He also reiterated that unnamed “opportunists” must not be allowed to discredit the 2018 revolution or use its achievements “for personal welfare.”
Petrosian actively participated in the revolution that brought Nikol Pashinian to power. The Armenian prime minister has not yet commented on his resignation.