YEREVAN, APRIL 18, ARMENPRESS. The bill on changing the structure of the Cabinet of Armenia has been adopted by first hearing with 71 lawmakers voting in favor and 40 lawmakers voting it down today at the 132-seat parliament.

“We seek to achieve more results with fewer resources through optimization,” said Minister of Justice Artak Zeynalyan.

Zeynalyan also addressed the campaigning suggestions of incumbent PM Nikol Pashinyan who was in favor of transforming the National Security Service and the National Police Force into ministries, something the governmental structural changes do not envisage now.

“We, lawyers and human rights activistst, know that the right of freedom of opinion includes also the right of freely changing an opinion. A new opinion can be developed because of changes in circumstances. With this we are stating our democracy and readiness to be guided by collegial management,” Zeynalyan said.

The two opposition factions – Lusavor Hayastan (Luminous Armenia) and Bargavatch Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia), voted down the bill, but it still passed by exceeding the required 53 votes. 

The bill envisages the Cabinet being comprised of the following ministries:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ministry of Defense

Ministry of Emergency Situations

Ministry of Justice

Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs

Ministry of Education, Science and Culture

Ministry of Nature Protection

Ministry of Healthcare

Ministry of Finance

Ministry of Economy

Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures

Ministry of High Tech Industry

Instead of the Diaspora Ministry there will be High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs within the PM’s office.

Below is a list of the current composition of the Cabinet:

Ministry of Agriculture 

Ministry of Culture

Ministry of Defense

Ministry of Diaspora

Ministry of Economic Development and Investments

Ministry of Education and Science

Ministry of Emergency Situations

Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources

Ministry of Finance 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ministry of Health

Ministry of Justice

Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs 

Ministry of Nature Protection

Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs

Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development 

Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies 

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan