Armenia merges ministries

Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan said today that the Ministry for Emergencies and the Ministry for Territorial Development have been merged into the Ministry for International Economic Integration and Reform. David Arutyunyan, the head of the governmental office, said that the parliament approved the reform. It includes amendments to the law on the structure of the government, News Armenia reports.Education Minister Armen Ashotyan informed that new ministers have been picked but their names were a secret. He clarified that the Ministry for Integration will focus on cooperation of Armenia with the Eurasian Economic Union and development of plans for cooperation with the EU.
Alexander Markarov, the director of the Armenian branch of the Institute of CIS Countries, noted that the need for a separate ministry for integration of Armenia into Eurasian projects had risen long ago. In his words, the processes were regional and global in nature. The structure will monitor and control the integration process, he added.Sergey Minasyan, deputy director of the Institute for the Caucasus, explained that Vice Prime Minister Armen Gevorkyan was a factor in the merger of the ministries. The expert noted that the vice prime minister had been heading the sector and decided to change occupation. Thus, his ministry joined the Emergencies Ministry of Armen Yeritsyan. Overall, the resignation of one official caused the transformation of other institutions.