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Controversial Former Yerevan Mayor Gets Position in New Government
http://www.mirrorspectator.com/2012/07/05/controversial-former-yerevan-mayor-gets-position-in-new-government/
Armenia July 5, 2012 1:46 pm
YEREVAN (RFE/RL) - Gagik Beglarian, the controversial former mayor of
Yerevan, has been appointed to Armenia's government as minister of
transport and communications, more than 18 months after being forced
to resign because of reportedly violent conduct.
Beglarian stepped down as mayor in December 2010 after President Serge
Sargisian effectively confirmed Beglarian's involvement in an assault
on an official at the presidential admin- istration's protocol unit.
According to media reports, an offi- cial, Aram Kandayan, incurred
Beglarian's ire after asking the latter's wife not to sit next to the
president dur- ing the November 2010 concert of Spanish tenor Placido
Domingo, in Yerevan. Such seats have traditionally been reserved for
Armenia's prime min- ister, parliament speaker and the supreme head of
the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Beglarian, who did not attend the concert, allegedly drove Kandayan to
one of his properties in Yerevan and beat up the young official there
the next day. He was never prosecuted for what a presidential
spokesman con- demned as an `unacceptable and intol- erable' behavior.
Beglarian, who is also a wealthy businessman, remained a senior member
of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK). He was reelected to
the HHK's 20-member executive body during a party congress held in
March.
Sargisian appointed Beglarian as transport minister on Saturday as
part of a cabinet reshuffle resulting from the May 6 parliamentary
elections. Prime Minister Tigran Sargisian introduced him to senior
officials at the Ministry of Transport and Communications on Monday.
`I want to congratulate Mr. Beglarian on his ministerial appointment
and express confidence that he will manage to smoothly ensure
continuity in the [ministry's] work,' the premier said. `The projects
that we have launched will be brought to a logical conclusion.'
Beglarian became Yerevan's first elected mayor in more than a decade
after leading the HHK to a landslide vic- tory in disputed municipal
elections held in May 2009.
Beglarian has long held sway in a largely blue-collar section of the
district notorious for election-related violence against opposition
activists.
http://www.mirrorspectator.com/2012/07/05/controversial-former-yerevan-mayor-gets-position-in-new-government/
Armenia July 5, 2012 1:46 pm
YEREVAN (RFE/RL) - Gagik Beglarian, the controversial former mayor of
Yerevan, has been appointed to Armenia's government as minister of
transport and communications, more than 18 months after being forced
to resign because of reportedly violent conduct.
Beglarian stepped down as mayor in December 2010 after President Serge
Sargisian effectively confirmed Beglarian's involvement in an assault
on an official at the presidential admin- istration's protocol unit.
According to media reports, an offi- cial, Aram Kandayan, incurred
Beglarian's ire after asking the latter's wife not to sit next to the
president dur- ing the November 2010 concert of Spanish tenor Placido
Domingo, in Yerevan. Such seats have traditionally been reserved for
Armenia's prime min- ister, parliament speaker and the supreme head of
the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Beglarian, who did not attend the concert, allegedly drove Kandayan to
one of his properties in Yerevan and beat up the young official there
the next day. He was never prosecuted for what a presidential
spokesman con- demned as an `unacceptable and intol- erable' behavior.
Beglarian, who is also a wealthy businessman, remained a senior member
of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK). He was reelected to
the HHK's 20-member executive body during a party congress held in
March.
Sargisian appointed Beglarian as transport minister on Saturday as
part of a cabinet reshuffle resulting from the May 6 parliamentary
elections. Prime Minister Tigran Sargisian introduced him to senior
officials at the Ministry of Transport and Communications on Monday.
`I want to congratulate Mr. Beglarian on his ministerial appointment
and express confidence that he will manage to smoothly ensure
continuity in the [ministry's] work,' the premier said. `The projects
that we have launched will be brought to a logical conclusion.'
Beglarian became Yerevan's first elected mayor in more than a decade
after leading the HHK to a landslide vic- tory in disputed municipal
elections held in May 2009.
Beglarian has long held sway in a largely blue-collar section of the
district notorious for election-related violence against opposition
activists.