The Prime Minister of RA Nikol Pashinyan introduced the newly appointed Director of the National Security Service, Andranik Simonyan, to the staff of the Service.

Nikol Pashinyan first thanked Armen Abazyan for his work as the director of the National Security Service, emphasizing that in recent years the service has undergone a rather serious process of transformations and reforms. The Prime Minister also noted that the draft strategy for the further development of the National Security Service has been formulated and formed, which will be adopted in the near future in accordance with the established procedure and will ensure the further progress and development of the service.

Former NSS Director Armen Abazyan, in turn, congratulated the newly appointed NSS Director, and at the same time thanked the Prime Minister of RA for the high trust placed in him.

"Dear colleagues, I thank you for going through these difficult years full of challenges together. I am confident that the National Security Service will continue the service with the same good faith and spirit, for the benefit of strengthening the security of the Republic of Armenia," said A. Abazyan.

Introducing the newly appointed director of the service, Nikol Pashinyan noted that Andranik Simonyan is not a new person in the service - he has held the position of deputy director for more than four years.

In his speech, NSS Director Andranik Simonyan thanked the Prime Minister of RA and said: “Realizing all the responsibility, I would like to state that it is a great honor to serve the Republic of Armenia and the citizens of the Republic of Armenia as the head of the special service. I assure you that together with the professional staff of the Service, we shall fulfill all the tasks set before us by law”.

At the end of the speech, the NSS Director also thanked former director Armen Abazyan for his services to the Republic of Armenia.

According to Nikol Pashinyan, the strategy adopted by the Government also plays a significant role in continuously increasing the efficiency of work. In this context, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of the three main functions on which the NSS should focus: counterintelligence, the fight against terrorism, and the maintenance of constitutional order. “I believe the Government is also creating sufficient conditions for the service to be able to focus on these functions. Since 2018, as of today, the funding of the NSS has tripled,” the Prime Minister noted.

Referring to the recent disclosure of a crime being prepared against statehood, security, and stability of the Republic of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan noted: “Today’s challenges are hybrid, having the characteristics of both terrorism, violation of the constitutional order, and counterintelligence. The system of hybrid threats is currently being widely discussed in the world, and I would like us to also expand our understanding in the context of performing these three functions.”

The Prime Minister assured that the Government will continue to provide all necessary conditions for increasing the effectiveness of the NSS’s activities, for the benefit of the Republic of Armenia, statehood, its people, citizens, and future.