On 7 June, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry announced that all the ministry’s deputies Artak Apitonyan, Avet Adonts and Armen Ghevondyan resigned from their roles.

A week earlier, the media in the country reported that the MFA officials were absent from cabinet meetings which were headed by Armenia’s acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Also, ministry officials initially did not take part in a parliamentary debate on the execution of Armenia’s 2020 state budget relating to the work of the national diplomatic service. Their absence forced the leadership of the National Assembly to twice postpone the session.  

Mikael Melkumyan, a deputy representing the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party, wondered why the ministry did not send one of the deputy ministers instead. Ruben Rubinian, a senior pro-government deputy, replied that parliament speaker Ararat Mirzoyan has received a letter from the ministry saying that they are too busy to address lawmakers and answer their questions. Taguhi Tovmasyan, another opposition parliamentarian, claimed that all four vice-ministers had decided to step down. She said they do not want to bear responsibility for Pashinyan’s “treasonous” efforts to resolve the border dispute with Azerbaijan. 

Following the resignation of Armenia’s acting Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazyan (Caucasus Watch reported), one of Pashinyan’s spokespersons stated that the position of the country’s Foreign Minister would remain vacant until the 20 June parliamentary elections.