His Excellency
Vahagn Khachaturyan
Վահագն Խաչատուրյան
Official portrait, 2022
5th President of Armenia
Assumed office
13 March 2022
Prime MinisterNikol Pashinyan
Preceded byAlen Simonyan (Acting)
Minister of High-Tech Industry
In office
4 August 2021 – 3 March 2022
Prime MinisterNikol Pashinyan
Preceded byHayk Chobanyan
Succeeded byRobert Khachatryan
Mayor of Yerevan
In office
4 December 1992 – 22 February 1996
Preceded byHambardzum Galstyan
Succeeded byAshot Mirzoyan
Personal details
Born (1959-04-22) 22 April 1959
Sisian, Armenian SSR, Soviet Union
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations		Armenian National Congress (2013–2017)
SpouseAnahit Minasyan
Websitewww.vahagnhacaturyan.com

Vahagn Garniki Khachaturyan (Armenian: Վահագն Գառնիկի Խաչատուրյան, pronounced [vɑˈhɑɡən χɑt͡ʃʰɑtuɾˈjɑn]; born 22 April 1959) is an Armenian politician who is the 5th and current president of Armenia.[1] He served as Mayor of Yerevan from 1992 to 1996 and as the Minister of High-Tech Industry from 2021 to 2022.[2][3]

He was a member of the Armenian National Congress until his resignation in 2017.[4] He led the ANC list in the 2013 Yerevan City Council election,[5] and is currently an independent.[6]

Personal life

Khachaturyan was born in 1959 in Sisian. He is married and has two children. Besides his native Armenian, he also speaks English and Russian.

Early career

He graduated from the Yerevan Institute of National Economy in 1980, with the qualification of economist. From 1980 to 1982, he served in the Soviet Army. After fufiilling his national service, he carried out for the next decade pedagogical activities at the Yerevan Institute, working for the first eight years at the “HrazdanMash” (Hrazdan Instrumental Production) Enterprise as an economist and then at the “Mars” Factory as the deputy general director until 1992.

Political career

From 1990 to 1996, he was a member of the Yerevan City Council, then from 1992 to 1996 he served as the mayor of Yerevan. He was a deputy in the National Assembly of Armenia from 1995 to 1999.[7] From 1996 to 1998 he was an adviser to President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan. In 2002-Vice President of the Center for Political Science, Law, and Economic Research. He was appointed Minister of High-Tech Industry in August 2021.

Presidency (2022–present)

Salome Zourabichvili and President Khachaturyan meeting in Tbilisi, 30 May 2022.

Following the resignation of President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian in January 2022, the ruling Civil Contract Party nominated Khachaturyan for the presidency.[8] He was elected president by the Armenian parliament in the second round of voting.[9] He was inaugurated on 13 March 2022.[10]

Khachaturyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin, 16 June 2022

In June 2022, he visited the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on its 25th anniversary in St. Petersburg, Russia.[11]

Controversial Incident at Queen's Lying-In-State

Vahagn Khachaturyan faced public backlash and media criticism following an incident at Westminster Hall during the lying-in-state of Queen Elizabeth II.[12] The British tabloids rebuked Khachaturyan after one of his aides photographed him posing in front of the Queen's coffin.[12] The incident violated the strict rules inside the historic chamber, which prohibit photo-taking[13] and emphasize quiet and respectful behavior.

Reports indicated that Khachaturyan was not only photographed but also accused of loudly chatting with his entourage during the solemn event. Witnesses noted that hundreds of people in Westminster Hall were silent, except for Khachaturyan, who faced accusations of violating the established decorum. The incident drew widespread criticism and was seen as a breach of protocol[14] during a significant moment of national mourning. The controversy surrounding his behavior at Westminster Hall made headlines and raised questions about his diplomatic conduct and violation of protocol.[15]

Membership

  • 2000: Founding member of the ARMAT Center for Democracy and Civil Society Development
  • 2006: Founding member of the social and political initiatives “Aylyntrank”
  • 2019–2021: Member of the Board of the Armeconombank

References

  1. ↑ Վահագն Գառնիկի Խաչատրյան (PDF) (in Armenian). Yerevan Municipality. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  2. ↑ "Former mayors of Yerevan". Yerevan Municipality Official Website. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  3. ↑ Decrees of the President of the Republic
  4. ↑ "High-Tech minister addresses reports that he is ruling party's pick for presidency". armenpress.am. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  5. ↑ "ANC rep. Vahagn Khachatryan to run for Yerevan mayor?". PanARMENIAN.Net. 19 March 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  6. ↑ "National Assembly of Armenia | Official Web Site | parliament.am".
  7. ↑ "President of the Republic of Armenia - The President - The President of the Republic of Armenia". www.president.am. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  8. ↑ Ghazanchyan, Siranush (2 February 2022). "Vahagn Khachaturyan officially nominated for President of Armenia". Public Radio of Armenia. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  9. ↑ "Vahagn Khachaturyan elected President of Armenia". armenpress.am. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  10. ↑ "President-elect Vahagn Khachaturyan to be inaugurated in 10 days". Armenpress. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  11. ↑ "2022 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum: Day 1". 15 June 2022.
  12. 1 2 Dress, Brad (18 September 2022). "UK tabloids rip Armenian leader over photos with queen's coffin". The Hill. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  13. ↑ "Armenia's President Vahagn Khachaturyan gets clicked while paying respects to Queen's flag-draped coffin. See details". The Economic Times. 18 September 2022. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  14. ↑ "Armenian president appears to break official protocol while stood by Queen's coffin". UNILAD. 18 September 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  15. ↑ "Armenian president appears to break official protocol while stood by Queen's coffin". UNILAD. 18 September 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
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