YEREVAN. – Past daily of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: The appointment of Vitaly Balasanyan to the post of Secretary of the Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)] Security Council [(SC)] has led to interesting developments.

First, according to Past newspaper’s information, Balasanyan stated that he considers it pointless to keep a huge staff of the SC Secretary in a small country like Artsakh, and second, he considers it risky to form a working team on the principle of acquaintance-in-law.

According to our information, Balasanyan will make staff reductions in the near future, and will keep only professionals in the staff, and not party functionaries.

This style of work has worried Samvel Babayan, the former SC Secretary—who already has bad relations with Balasanyan—who had formed a staff of 5-6 dozen to provide jobs for his political team, whereas previously 3-4 staff assisted the SC Secretary.

Samvel Babayan is also angry with the fact that Balasanyan was given great leverage, and he [Babayan] considers that it was done at his own expense, also to reduce his influence.

By the way, Vitaly Balasanyan, assuming the post of the SC Secretary and receiving a big role, had an important precondition: to say toward the RA authorities at any moment what he considers right. In the current situation, [Artsakh President] Arayik Haroutyunyan had no choice but to accept that precondition.