08 November 2019, 21:11
Opponents of the MoE head argue with Nikol Pashinyan
Nikol Pashinyan, Armenian Premier, has disagreed with the activists, who demanded dismissal of Araik Arutyunyan, the head of the Ministry of Education (MoE).
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 4, the youth wing of the ARF (Armenian Revolutionary Federation) "Dashnaktsutyun" demanded the resignation of Araik Arutyunyan from the post of the minister. On November 7, more than 250 students and "Dashnaktsutyun" supporters held a rally outside the building of the government. The action transformed into an endless sitting picket.
The protesters accuse Araik Arutyunyan of neglecting national values. The reason for the students' strike was the MoE's initiative to make the study of the history of Armenia, the Armenian language and literature optional at non-humanitarian departments. Scientists-philologists have criticized the Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, for supporting this project.
Today, Nikol Pashinyan, on his way to the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), which is in the same building with the MoE, met the protesting activists. Seeing the Premier, they began chanting "Araik, go away!" They asked Pashinyan whether he was following their protests. He answered that he was, but didn't share their position and strongly doubted that the society would agree with them.
Kristine Vardanyan, a member of the Central Board of the Youth Wing of the ARF, told Pashinyan that Minister Araik Arutyunyan failed his work. She handed a metro token to the Premier and asked to give it to Arutyunyan for him to use the metro to find out what people think of him.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on November 8, 2019 at 03:58 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Armine Martirosyan Source: CK correspondent
