Arayik Harutyunyan

Arayik Harutyunyan (Armenian: Արայիկ Հարությունյան; born 14 December 1973) is a politician, President of Artsakh, former State Minister and former Prime Minister of the Republic of Artsakh. He was the last Prime Minister of the country before the office of Prime Minister was abolished in 2017.

Arayik Harutyunyan
4th President of Artsakh
Incumbent
Assumed office 21 May 2020
Preceded by	Bako Sahakyan
State Minister of Artsakh
In office 25 September 2017 – 6 June 2018
President	Bako Sahakyan
Preceded by	Office created
Succeeded by	Grigory Martirosyan
6th Prime Minister of Artsakh
In office 14 September 2007 – 25 September 2017
President	Bako Sahakyan
Preceded by	Anushavan Danielyan
Succeeded by	Office abolished
Personal details
Born	(1973-12-14) 14 December 1973 Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet Union
Political party	Free Motherland
Children	Three daughters
Alma mater	Yerevan State Institute of Economy Artsakh University
Occupation	Economist
Military service
Branch/service	Artsakh Defense Army
Years of service	1992–1994
Battles/wars	Nagorno-Karabakh War

Early life

Harutyunyan was born in Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet Union, in 1973. He attended Yerevan State Institute of Economy in 1990 and two years after, in 1992, joined the self-defence forces of Nagorno-Karabakh and took part in Nagorno-Karabakh War. After the war, he moved from Yerevan State Institute of Economy to Artsakh State University Faculty of Economics and graduated in 1995. Three years later, in 1998, he finished his post-graduate course at Artsakh State University.[1]

Career

Harutyunyan started his career at the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Artsakh in 1994, serving as Assistant to the Minister. In 1997, he left the ministry and started his career in the private sector, in Armagrobank, working there until 2004.

In National Assembly

Harutyunyan co-founded the Free Motherland party in 2005 which took part in the 2005 parliamentary election, winning 10 out of 33 seats in the National Assembly. He also served as the Chairman of Free Motherland and the Free Motherland faction in the National Assembly. Harutyunyan headed the Commission on Financial, Budget and Economy Management in National Assembly.[2]

Premiership

In 2007, he was appointed Prime Minister by then-President Bako Sahakyan. His first speech as Prime Minister was full of promises to revive the economy, democracy and social justice in the unrecognised country. The urgent steps that he promised to take included ‘fighting against corruption, protectionism, the clan system and social evils'.[3] After 2017 constitutional referendum, Artsakh was transformed from semi-presidential system into a presidential system and the office of the Prime Minister was abolished.

Harutyunyan remained in the Sahakyan government and was appointed as State Minister.[4]

Presidency

He participated in and won the 2020 Artsakhian general election, thereby becoming the 4th President of Artsakh.[5][6] During the first week of his presidency, he signed two highly publicized executive orders: The first one changed the seat of the National Assembly of Artsakh from Stepanakert to Shushi, while the second made all tertiary education in Artsakh free.

Honours and awards

• Awarded with the medal “For liberation of Shushi” and decorated with the order “Martial Cross” 2nd degree.
• By the decree of the NKR President dated August 30, 2016 Harutyunyan was decorated with the order “Grigor Lusavorich” for his services rendered to the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the proclamation of NKR.

References

1. LLC, Helix Consulting. "Arayik Harutyunyan - Former Prime Ministers - Government - Government of Artsakh Republic". gov.nkr.am. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
2. "Araik V. Harutyunyan". www.nankr.am. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
3. Новый кабинет министров Нагорного Карабаха будет вести решительную борьбу со взяточничеством, протекционизмом и клановостью - Новости Карабаха - ИА REGNUM Archived September 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
4. "Official website of the President of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic". www.president.nkr.am. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
5. Elliott, Raffi (2020-04-15). "Artsakh elects new president amid pandemic". The Armenian Weekly. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
6. "Harutyunian Sworn In As President Of Disputed Nagorno-Karabakh Region". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 2020-05-26.

See also

• President of Artsakh
• Elections in the Republic of Artsakh
• Prime Minister of Artsakh

Political offices
Preceded by Anushavan Danielyan	Prime Minister of Artsakh 2007–2017	Succeeded by Office abolished
Preceded by Office created	State Minister of Artsakh 2017–2018	Succeeded by Grigory Martirosyan
Preceded by Bako Sahakyan	President of Artsakh 2020–present	Incumbent