False priest Nshan Hovhannisyan, who was invited to appear on public television, was appointed to a government position following an interview. He has been appointed an advisor to the Department of National Minorities and Religious Affairs within the Prime Minister’s Office and a coordinator of certain functions within its structural subdivisions.
We contacted the Prime Minister’s Office to request information on his work so far and whether the Office is satisfied with Nshan Hovhannisyan’s performance.
The Prime Minister’s Office reported that Nshan Hovhannisyan participated in the review of draft legal acts concerning freedom of religion and conscience submitted to the government and the Prime Minister for discussion or evaluation, as well as reviewing the compliance of individual issues with the government’s program and key policy directions, conducting professional assessments at the direction of the head of the department, and drafting conclusions on draft legal acts on the development of the relevant sector and improving its effectiveness. “He prepared informational and reference materials on religious matters, organized and participated in discussions to address various proposals or problems related to religious issues received by the department, and carried out other assignments from the head of the department arising from his duties,” the government’s response to the inquiry stated.
Nikol Pashinyan’s staff is satisfied with Nshan Hovhannisyan’s work, noting that he carries out his work “with sufficient and necessary responsibility and quality.”
We also requested information about whether Nshan Hovhannisyan received bonuses during this period and the amount.
The government confirmed that Nshan Hovhannisyan received bonuses, but did not provide information on the amount, given the restrictions on requested information imposed by the laws “On Freedom of Information,” “On Personal Data,” and the Labor Code.
Vardan Atsatryan, head of the Department of National Minorities and Religious Affairs, stated that Nshan Hovhannisyan’s position does not require active public speaking, and the Prime Minister’s Office assured that Nshan Hovhannisyan has not given interviews to any media outlets since assuming office.
As a reminder, on June 27, Public Television invited Nshan Hovhannisyan for an interview and presented him as a cleric, despite the fact that he was dismissed from his post in 2017 and has since been dismissed twice. However, Nshan Hovhannisyan still considers himself a “vardapet.”