Yesterday NKR President Arkady Ghukasian signed several decrees on new staff appointments and some structural changes in the NKR Government. Part of the Foreign Ministry officers will be transferred to Armenia, where in Ghukasian's words, Embassies of foreign states and representations of international organizations are situated. A NKR representative in Armenia - Arman Melikian - is appointed NKR Foreign Minister instead of Ashot Gulian. Ministers of Agriculture, Education and Culture, as well as head of staff of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic President are dismissed. The latter is appointed Vice-Premier.
It should be reminded that already December 10 the NKR President pledged that "serious staff and structural changes will be made in the Government." "Domination of bureaucracy is observed at some levels of the power and some representatives of the executive have gone too far away from the people," A. Ghukasian stated at the time. In the opinion of some analysts, it may be related to the municipal election held in Nagorno Karabakh in August, during which an opposition candidate became Stepanakert mayor.