YEREVAN. – Some wonder why chief of the National Security Service (NSS) of the Republic of Armenia (RA), Gorik Hakobyan, is not retired. Ultimately, he is 70 years old and ill, according to Hraparak daily.
“It is time for him to go on to the retirement he has earned. And since [President] Serzh Sargsyan has already extended his term of office by 5 years several times, it is unlikely that it would be extended again. Therefore a temporary NSS director is ‘sought.’
“According some news, the problem is not so much in not finding a trustworthy cadre, but in the fact that, as claimed by those close to the NSS, they are retaining this position for NKR [i.e. Nagorno-Karabakh Republic] President Bako Sahakyan, who has been the NKR NSS Chief from 2001 to 2007 and is preparing to move to [Armenia’s capital city of] Yerevan, at the end of his mission in the position of President.
“But the problem is that the NKR presidential elections will be held in 2017, whereas the term of office of the RA National Security Service Chief Gorik Hakobyan expires on February 16, 2016.
“Now, a ‘vicar’ to the position is sought, who will assume this post for one, one and a half years, and [then] hand it to Bako Sahakyan on a platter,” Hraparak wrote.
