Epress.am News from Armenia
During the discussion in parliament today on the amount from the 2014 state budget to be allocated to the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Armenian National Congress (HAK) MP Levon Zurabyan raised a question on the inefficiency of Armenia's foreign policies. In particular, he said, "pointless funds" are being used to open Armenian embassies abroad.
Among these "pointless" expenses, he named the appointment of an ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Vatican City, who happens to be Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's son-in-law, Mikael Minasyan [pictured, far left].
Among other failures, the opposition MP highlighted the failed Armenia-Turkey Protocols and preparations related to signing the Association Agreement with the European Union.
RA Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Shavarsh Kocharyan didn't agree with Zurabyan, insisting that that is the MP's personal point of view.
Republican Party of Armenia MP Artashes Geghamyan then asked for the floor and said that Zurabyan is forgetting that there are 1 billion Christians in the world and that "behind the wheel" in Germany ("considered the EU's engine") are the Christian Democrats, on whom the Vatican has great influence.
Geghamyan also praised Mikael Minasyan, saying he graduated from Collegio Armeno Moorat Raphael (Murad Rafaelian Armenian College) with honors and is "a stunning diplomat" who fosters the strengthening of ties between Armenia and the Vatican.