Ruben Vardanyan Appointed State Minister of Artsakh

STEPANAKERT — President of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Arayik Harutyunyan has appointed today billionaire and social entrepreneur Ruben Vardanyan as State Minister (prime minister). Vardanyan has replaced Artak Beglaryan.

Ruben Vardanyan 54, whose total assets, according to Forbes magazine, are estimated at $1.3 billion, announced in September, 2022 that he decided to renounce his Russian citizenship and move to Karabakh, ‘whose people who have survived two wars and lost their relatives and loved ones in the struggle for independence, are abandoned, forgotten and no one needs them.’

‘I believe that after the 2020 war, we, Armenians all over the world, have an obligation to stand together with the people of Artsakh?.

He also said that all his assets in Russia would be moved to his family fund.

President of the Artsakh Republic Arayik Harutyunyan has signed a decree, releasing Artak Beglaryan from the position of the Minister of State. Ruben Vardanyan will replace him on the post.

Artsakh State Minister will coordinate the activities of the following ministers:
1) Minister of Healthcare
2) Minister of Justice
3) Minister of Foreign Affairs
4) Minister of Agriculture
5) Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports
6) Minister of Social Development and Migration
7) Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure
8) Minister of Municipal Engineering
9) Minister of Finance and Economy.

The State Minister is also assigned the functions of coordinating the activities of the heads of the following state administration bodies of the Artsakh Republic:
• Head of the State Supervision Service,
• Chairman of the Cadaster and State Property Management Committee,
• Chairman of the Committee on Material Damages,
• Chairman of the State Revenue Committee,
• Chairman of the Management Committee of State Inspectorates,
• Chairman of the Water Committee.