Nikol Pashinyan
Nikol Pashinyan: The Prime Minister of Armenia
Nikol Pashinyan is an Armenian politician who is the current Prime Minister of Armenia. He is the leader of the Civil Contract party.
Early Life and Career
Nikol Pashinyan was born on June 1, 1975, in Ijevan, Armenian SSR, Soviet Union. He studied journalism at Yerevan State University. After graduating, he worked as a journalist for several Armenian newspapers and magazines.
In 2007, Pashinyan was elected to the National Assembly of Armenia. He served as a member of the opposition until 2012, when he was elected party leader of the Civil Contract.
Political Activism and Velvet Revolution
Pashinyan is a prominent political activist and was one of the leaders of the 2018 Armenian Velvet Revolution, a series of non-violent protests that led to the resignation of Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan.
The Velvet Revolution began in April 2018 when Pashinyan and his supporters took to the streets of Yerevan to protest against Sargsyan's decision to remain in power after serving two terms as president. The protests quickly spread throughout the country and eventually forced Sargsyan to resign.
Prime Minister of Armenia
On May 8, 2018, Pashinyan was elected Prime Minister of Armenia by the National Assembly. He has promised to implement a number of reforms, including economic reforms and anti-corruption measures.
Pashinyan's government has also taken steps to improve relations with Armenia's neighbors, including Turkey and Azerbaijan. In 2020, Pashinyan and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed an agreement to normalize relations between the two countries.
Personal Life
Nikol Pashinyan is married to Anna Hakobyan and has four children. He is a fluent speaker of Armenian, Russian, and English.
Awards and Honors
Nikol Pashinyan has received numerous awards and honors, including:
- The Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent (2018)
- The Charlemagne Prize (2019)
- The European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought (2021)
