Former Minister of Diaspora Mkhitar Hayrapetyan Appointed as Minister of High-tech Industry in Armenia

The President of the Republic of Armenia, Vahagn Khachaturyan, has issued a decree appointing Mkhitar Hayrapetyan as the Minister of High-tech Industry, the Presidential Office announced. Simultaneously, Robert Khachatryan has been relieved of his duties as Minister of High-tech Industry.

Born on May 15, 1990, Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, a Member of the Armenian National Assembly from the My Step Alliance and a prominent member of the ruling Civil Contract party, assumes the role after holding several other significant positions in Armenia's political landscape. Notably, he served as the Minister of Diaspora of Armenia from May 11, 2018, to January 11, 2019, and is recognized for his expertise as a turkologist.

Hayrapetyan graduated from Yerevan State University (YSU) with a Master's Degree in the Department of Oriental Studies (Turkish) in 2013.

As founding member of the Civil Contract Party, Hayrapetyan's commitment to the party was evident as he assumed various roles, including the chairmanship of the Nor-Nork regional organization and the party's Coordinator on Diaspora Affairs.

His appointment marks the fifth change in the Minister of High-tech Industry since 2021.

The Armenian Report reached out to Samvel Martirosyan, an Armenian information security expert, for a comment on the newly appointed High-tech Minister, and he expressed uncertainty about Mkhitar's suitability for this position due to his non-technical background. Martirosyan highlighted the importance of ensuring stability in the Ministerial role for the advancement of the tech industry. "It would be desirable that the High-tech Ministers do not change once a year," Martirosyan stated.

From 2019 to 2021, Hakob Arshakyan held the position of High-tech Minister and currently serves as the Vice President of the National Assembly. Hayk Chobanyan assumed the role from April 2021 to August 2021. The current President of Armenia, Vahagn Khachaturyan, held the position from 2021 to 2022, followed by Robert Khachatryan from 2022 to 2023.

The Armenian Report has reached out to Hayrapetyan for a comment, awaiting his response.