The Government of the Republic of Artsakh (hy|Արցախի Հանրապետության Կառավարություն) is the governing authority of the Republic of Artsakh, a once de-facto state, which is now a government-in-exile headed in Yerevan.[1]
The executive council of government ministers is headed by the President of Artsakh. The 2017 constitutional referendum approved the transformation of the government into a presidential system; the office of the Prime Minister was thereby abolished.
Following an Azerbaijani assault on 19 September 2023, Artsakh initially agreed to dissolve itself by 1 January 2024.[2] However, instead of dissolving, the government of Artsakh established a government-in-exile based in Yerevan.
The Armenian Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, opposed the said government-in-exile, calling it a "security threat".[3] [4] [5] On 28 March 2024, Pashinyan stated, "In Armenia, apart from the Government of the Republic of Armenia, no other government can exist."[6] Some of Artsakh's leadership met with Bagrat Galstanyan, leader of the anti-government protests on 21 May 2024 in Yerevan.[7] On 14 June 2024, Pashinyan threatened to crack down on Artsakh's leadership, saying they were encouraging anti-government protests in Yerevan.[8]
| President | Years in office | Party membership | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samvel Shahramanyan | 2023 - | Independent | |
| Arayik Harutyunyan | 2020 - 2023 | Free Motherland | |
| Bako Sahakyan | 2007 - 2020 | Independent | |
| Arkadi Ghukasyan | 1997 - 2007 | Independent |
| Prime Minister | Years in office | Political party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arayik Harutyunyan | 2007 - 2017 | Free Motherland | |
| Anushavan Danielyan | 1999 - 2007 | Independent | |
| Zhirayr Poghosyan | 1998 - 1999 | Independent | |
| Leonard Petrosyan | 1994 - 1998 | Independent | |
| Robert Kocharyan | 1992 - 1994 | Independent | |
| Oleg Yesayan | 1992 - 1992 | Independent |