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From September 11 to 20, 2020, the Media Advocate initiative followed online media reports on Armenia's Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan’s personality and activities.

35 leading Armenian news agencies have been monitored, the initiative said in a statement on Tuesday.

In the specified period, 298 articles were declared, 127 of which were negative, 13 were positive and 158 were neutral.

Arsen Torosyan is in the center of criticism. Mainly negative articles were published on him, Media Advocate said.

It is mentioned that Arsen Torosyan is famous for nepotism cases in his field as many of his close friends have received different positions: “After the revolution, Hayk Sayadyan, Torosyan’s childhood friend, was appointed director of the State Health Project Implementation Center. Narek Vanesyan, who was later appointed as director of the Nubarashen Psychiatric Hospital, presented his resignation letter to his close friend – Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan, after an incident at the Medical University. The director of the Nork Infectious Diseases Hospital has been appointed Hovhannes Madoyan, who shares close ties with the minister. He is related to Soros, and is the program advisor of Real World, Real People NGO.

The press, referring to the protests taking place in Armenia, wrote: “For a long time now different groups of the society have been protesting. If at first they demanded the resignation of the members of the current government, in particular the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Arayik Harutyunyan and the Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan, today the picture is a bit different: people demand the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, they want a change of government.”

The press also referred to the problems around the hematology center: “It was not clear on what grounds or reason Arsen Torosyan decided to get rid of Samvel Danielyan, whom he himself had appointed, but the staff of the center insisted that he was a unique specialist, without whom the field could not move forward. Moreover, Gevorg Tamamyan described the decision as “a consequence of tribalism.”

According to the publications, three people with an inexplicable lever have a control package over Prime Minister Pashinyan. Arayik Harutyunyan, Hayk Marutyan and Arsen Torosyan have inexplicable levers, through which Pashinyan is constantly reminded of his place: “A few weeks ago A. Torosyan announced with a tone not typical of a public administration system representative that he would not resign under any circumstances. It is clear that the addressee of these words was the prime minister. Everything hints that these three have some secret by means of which they can keep Pashinyan under control. Arsen Torosyan failed the fight against the epidemic, as a result of which more than a thousand deaths have been registered, deaths cases still rise. He left tens of thousands of people without medical help, but continues to hold office confidently.”

 The publication was prepared with the support of Hayrenik Development Foundation, the initiative said.