Makunts gives up parliament seat for reported U.S. envoy job

PanARMENIAN.Net - Lawmaker from the ruling Civil Contract party Lilit Makunts has relinquished her seat in the Armenian parliament. The information was confirmed by Armen Smbatyan, the Secretary of the country's Central Electoral Commission on Tuesday, July 20, Sputnik Armenia reports.

According to earlier reports and comments from Makunts herself, the former lawmaker is expected to be appointed Armenia's ambassador to the United States.

Makunts was named the Minister of Culture in Armenia back in 2018, and was elected a member of parliament later in the year. She confirmed in January that her appointment as the Armenian Ambassador to the United States was on the table. While critics said the lawmaker does not have sufficient experience in diplomatic work for such an appointment, Makunts claimed back then that "in some cases" such experience does not play a "priority role."

Armenia's last ambassador to Washington Varuzhan Nersesyan was recalled and appointed as the ambassador of Yerevan to Great Britain, according to two separate decrees signed by President Armen Sarkissian on July 16.