Dear compatriots,

On May 18, 2018, an article that Hraparak Armenian newspaper published about newly appointed Minister of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia Mkhitar Hayrapetyan made the employees of the Ministry of Diaspora concerned. The day of publication of the article coincided with the day I was leaving my office, and I asked many employees to share their thoughts and impressions. None of my interlocutors agreed with the expression “vay-kharar” (meaning a phony minister). On the contrary, everyone told me that they were willing to work as vigorously as they had worked with former Minister Hranush Hakobyan. Everyone understood the fact that public servants are called for ensuring the continuity and the normal pace of activities. In this situation, there are two questions that remain unclear. If the author of the letter is certain about the truthfulness of his or her words and has no intention to spatter others, why didn’t the person state his or her name? Does Hraparak newspaper find it worthy to publish a letter of an anonymous person?

In addition, this is a tough start for the new Minister since all four coordinators of the programs — two Deputy Ministers, the Advisor to the Minister and the Chief of Staff — have resigned. If I wasn’t one of those who resigned and didn’t know the others, I would think that they were sabotaging.

However, this is not the case.

The former Minister also called on the employees to do everything they can to help and support the new Minister.

Working hard to seek flaws in the working style of a minister who has been in office for about four days and heralding about that on behalf of the “staff” is, to say the least, immoral.

I address my colleagues and call on them to be prudent and maintain the decency that they should maintain at this moment in time.

Former Chief of Staff of the

Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia

Firdus Zakaryan