Armenian public unsatisfied with new incompetent ambassadors

By AzerNews

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's recent appointments of the ambassadors of the country to U.S. and neighboring Georgia have sparked outrage in Armenia.

Local media and former diplomats say they do not understand the authorities' criteria for such appointments which have significant importance for Armenia.

Former Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan was appointed as Armenia's ambassador to the U.S.. Meanwhile, former Sports Minister Yuri Vardanyan was appointed as the country's ambassador to Georgia.

Local media believe that Armenia is following trivial local motives even in its foreign policy.

"The authorities use such posts for solving local, friendly, family and other problems," media report said.

Former diplomats believe that Armenia's diplomatic missions are turning into a club of pensioners. "The authorities appoint unsuccessful officials as ambassadors," they said.

They believe that the appointment of the former PM as an ambassador to the U.S. is unacceptable because he is involved in an offshore scandal.

Armenia's new ambassador to Georgia Yuri Vardanyan is a former weightlifter. Former diplomats do not see any logic in the sportsman's appointment as an ambassador to Georgia which is highly important for Armenia.

The government in turn believes that even sportsmen can be good ambassadors. But, Varndanyan was involved in a scandal last year. His son was arrested for transporting drugs from Iran to Armenia in large quantities.

Local media believe that Vardanyan's appointment is a shame, as Armenia needs an experienced and highly professional diplomat in Georgia. Former diplomats doubt that Vardanyan is quite well familiar with the problems that exist in the Armenian-Georgian relations. "Vardanyan is not able 'to lift out this weight'," they said.

The appointment of the incompetent persons as ambassadors show that Armenia has no certain foreign policy priorities. As local media reported, Armenia does not need competent diplomats abroad, as the country has no foreign policy.