Karen Karapetyan

Karen Karapetyan Կարեն Կարապետյան
Prime Minister of Armenia
Incumbent
Assumed office September 13, 2016
President	Serzh Sargsyan
Preceded by	Hovik Abrahamyan
Mayor of Yerevan
In office December 17, 2010 – November 15, 2011
Preceded by	Gagik Beglaryan
Succeeded by	Taron Margaryan
Personal details
Born	14 August 1963 Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh, Soviet Union
Nationality	Soviet Armenian
Political party	Independent Politician
Children	3: Tigran Karapetyan, Mane Karapetyan
Alma mater	Yerevan State University
Occupation	Politician Economist
Religion	Armenian Apostolic Church

Karen Karapetyan (Armenian: Կարեն Կարապետյան; born August 14, 1963) is an Armenian politician who has been Prime Minister of Armenia since 2016. He was previously Mayor of Yerevan, the capital, from 2010 to 2011.

Karapetyan was chief executive of the Armenian-Russian joint venture ArmRosGazprom beginning in 2001.^[1] He became Mayor of Yerevan on December 17, 2010 after receiving overwhelming support from the municipal assembly. He succeeded Gagik Beglaryan, a controversial mayor who resigned in early December 2010 after being embroiled in a high-profile scandal with the presidential administration of Serzh Sargsyan.

Karapetyan resigned as Mayor on 28 October 2011 and in November 2011 Taron Margaryan was elected mayor in his place. After his resignation, he returned to Russia to continue working for Gazprom.^[2] He was appointed as Prime Minister by President Serzh Sargsyan on September 13, 2016.

Mayor of Yerevan

Just one month into his term as mayor, Karapetyan arguably sparked the 2011 Armenian protests when he ordered the municipality to enforce a strict ban on street trading. Angry street vendors took to the streets to call for Karapetyan's resignation and the repeal of the ban.^[3] As protests grew larger, with many rallies being held illegally in Yerevan's central Freedom Square,^[4] Karapetyan held his ground, insisting that the ban on gathering in Freedom Square would remain in place and refusing to consider relaxing the municipality's restrictions on street trading.^[5]

Prime Minister of Armenia

After the resignation of Hovik Abrahamyan, Karapetyan was quickly named a possible successor. This was confirmed during a meeting of the Republican Party of Armenia and officially confirmed by President Serzh Sargsyan on September 13, 2016. It is said that Karapetyan's new Government will bring sweeping changes and reforms to the country and economy.

Personal life

Karen Karapetyan is married and has three children. In 1989 he earned a PHD in economics.

References

1. "Երևան". Yerevan.
2. "Former Yerevan mayor 'to return to Gazprom'". News from Azerbaijan. 2011-11-23. Retrieved 2013-09-29.
3. "Municipality ignores vendors' claims". A1+ TV. 19 January 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
4. "Armenian opposition undeterred by Freedom Square ban". News.Az. 30 March 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
5. "Ban On Street Trade In Yerevan 'Irreversible'". Azatutyun. 31 March 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2011.

See also

• List of mayors of Yerevan