As we have already informed, Vazgen Manukyan, Chairman of the Public Council, has resigned. He has held this position since 2009.

In 2009 – President of the Republic of Armenia appointed him Chairman of the Public Council of the Republic of Armenia.  On 4 April, 2019, at the suggestion of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, he was reappointed as the Chairman of the Public Council.

Article 7 of the Law on Public Council stipulates that the Chairman of the Public Council manages the activities of the Public Council, convenes and conducts the meetings of the Public Council, signs letters addressed to state bodies, officials or other persons on behalf of the Public Council, provides the Public Council regular activities.

According to Paragraph 4 of the Article, in case of absence of the Chairman of the Public Council or impossibility to perform his duties temporarily, he shall be replaced by one of the members of the Public Council by the decision of the Chairman of the Public Council. In the absence of such a decision, the senior member of the Public Council shall replace the Chairman of the Public Council.

Iravaban.net tried to contact the Public Council Office Manager, Press Affairs Coordinator, Assistant to the Chairman of the Public Councilt, but they did not respond to phone calls.

Currently, Yuri Javadyan is the senior member of the Public Council. He was born in 1939. In response to our question whether he had been informed about being appointed as a acting PC Chairman, Yuri Javadyan said: “I have not been informed of anything, and tomorrow I will go to the province.” He also mentioned that when Vazgen Manukyan was on vacation, by his decision, the Public Council member Hovhannes Hovhannisyan replaced the Chairman of the Public Council.

Hovhannes Hovhannisyan is a Yerevan State University Associate Professor, PhD in Philosophy, and President of the “Caucasus” Social Research Center NGO. He is a member of a number of non-governmental organizations and committees.

Hovhannes Hovhannisyan told us that he had not been informed about assignment to the post of acting President of PC. “The resignation was unexpected, I had just heard about it,” he added.

It should also be added that according to Article 2 (1) of the Law on Public Council, 15 members of the Public Council are appointed by the Government, including Vazgen Manukyan.

Thereafter, the Prime Minister, with their agreement, proposes to the Government the candidacy of a vacant members of the Public Council. The government, after receiving the Prime Minister’s recommendation, is discussing the appointment of a member at its next session.

Only after filling the 15 members, the Prime Minister nominates the President of the Public Council from all 45 members. The Government then discusses the issue of appointing the Chairman of the Public Council at its next meeting.

Alisa Chilingaryan