Political Maneuvering: Newly Appointed Justice Minister Denies Ties to Soros

Two clear false pieces of information have been circulated, one of which contains elements of defamation: the first is related to military service, and the second concerns ties to 'Soros'. This was stated today by Justice Minister Rustam Badasyan during a conversation with journalists, in response to remarks that according to his opponents, his appointment took place through the mediation of Larisa Minasyan, the head of the Soros Foundation in Armenia.

“When they say ties to 'Soros', I don’t understand what that means. I have never met the person you mentioned, I do not know her, I am not acquainted with her. So I think these are just speculations, the purposes of which can be very different, but I am not interested in them,” he said.

Regarding the issue of serving in the army, the minister mentioned that he has had health problems resulting from playing tennis: “The illness has arisen precisely as a result of playing tennis; it is one of the known variants. Of course, I cannot say for sure, because science has not yet clarified what causes scoliosis, but one of the causes comes from engaging in sports like volleyball, tennis, basketball, squash, and similar activities. But I am still playing squash now.”

He also denied the rumors that his father, who held a high-ranking position in the security forces, somehow facilitated his career advancement: “My father did not hold any high-ranking position when I entered Yerevan State University. The information that he was appointed deputy head of the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime came after my years as a student, so it obviously had no influence.”