Late-night WhatsApp shocker: Armenian PM fires senior officials

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reportedly delivered the news of dismissals to senior officials through the messaging app WhatsApp.

"Former State Revenue Committee Chairman Rustam Badasyan was out for a walk when he received this unexpected message late at night. Initially, he didn’t dare to call back, unsure if it was a prank or some phone ‘virus.’ Instead, he reached out to his relatives to discuss the situation," Hraparak newspaper reported quoting its sources, as cited by Caliber.Az.

According to the report, Badasyan spent the night consulting with close confidants about how to respond to the unsettling message. He debated whether to reply immediately or wait until morning. Joining the discussion were another dismissed official, Argishti Kyaramyan, the head of the Investigative Committee, and their mutual friend, Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan.

The newspaper also hinted at possible reshuffling within Pashinyan’s administration. Speculation suggests that Kyaramyan could soon be named head of the State Control Service, while former Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Gnel Sanosyan, is also expected to receive a new appointment.

Adding more insight, the daily Zhokhovurd shared further details surrounding the high-profile dismissals. The report stated that Gnel Sanosyan had been with Pashinyan at an event the day before he was let go, but the Prime Minister did not mention anything to him directly. Sanosyan later got a call from Araik Harutyunyan, Chief of Staff of the Armenian Government, informing him that Pashinyan had requested his resignation.

The fate of the heads of 10 regional administrations who had developed working relationships with Sanosyan now hangs in the balance. Many are left waiting to see who will step in as the new minister and whether any of them will be next to submit resignation letters.

By Tamilla Hasanova