YEREVAN (Combined Sources)–Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian Tuesday dismissed the controversial Custom’s Chief Armen Avanessyan and temporarily replaced him with Gagig Khachatryan, who was Avanessyan’s deputy in the previous administration.
Unconfirmed reports also indicated Tuesday that Hranoush Hakopyan was short-listed to head the newly-created Diaspora Ministry. Hakopyan has been a member of Armenia’s National Assembly since its inception and currently serves as the chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Culture and Education. This ends recent speculation that former Nagorno-Karabakh Republic President Arkady Ghoukasian was being considered for the position.
