Andranik Markaryan
Encyclopedia
Andranik Margaryan (12 June 1951 – 25 March 2007) served as the Prime Minister of Armenia
from 12 May 2000, when the President appointed him, until his death on 25 March 2007. He was a member of the Republican Party of Armenia
. He succeeded the Sargsyan brothers: Vazgen Sargsyan, who was murdered during the Armenian parliament shooting
on 27 October 1999 and Aram Sargsyan, whom the President appointed a week later, but fired on 2 May 2000.
in what was then the Armenian SSR
of the Soviet Union
to a family of Armenian Genocide
survivors originally from Sasun. He studied cybernetics at the Yerevan Polytechnic University and graduated as a computer engineer. He first became engaged in Armenian politics
in the late 1970s when he joined an illegal political party, the National Unity Party, that was campaigning for Armenia’s secession from the Soviet Union
. He has served on the National Unity Party's board since 1973. Margaryan had been a long time critic of the totalitarian government of the Soviet Union. He envisioned an independent, democratic Armenia. Police arrested him in 1974 and a court sentenced him to two years in Soviet labor camps for proliferating unpatriotic ideas and activities.
(HHK), the first registered party in the 3rd Republic of Armenia. He influenced the party platform with the ideology he expressed as a member of the National United Party. He served as the Republican Party's Chairman of the Board from 1993 until his death. He had also been a member of the "Yerkrapah" Volunteer union since 1996 and served on the YVU's board.
In 2000, he was appointed Prime Minister of Armenia
after the 1999 Armenian parliament shooting
led to the murder of then prime minister Vazgen Sargsyan. Vazgen's brother, Aram Sargsyan, who the President appointed a week later as prime minister, was fired on May 2, 2000 leading to Andranik Markaryan being appointed as the 14th prime minister of Armenia. He had planned to resign after the May 12, 2007 elections in Armenia. Throughout his career, he was awarded the “Garegin Nzhdeh” medal by the Armenian Defense Ministry alongside the “Aram Manukian,” “Fridjof Nansen” and “Vazgen Sargsyan” medals.
on March 25, 2007 after nearly seven years in office, the second prime minister of Armenia to die in office and the first not related to an assassination. The head of Yerevan's municipal ambulance service reported that the prime minister was unconscious and his heart had stopped beating by the time two ambulance crews arrived at his apartment early in the afternoon. Margaryan was immediately given resuscitation treatment but did not respond.
Margaryan had a history of serious cardiac problems and twice underwent heart surgeries, first in Armenia in 1999 and later in France
. He regularly visited French
and Russian clinics for medical examinations.
Andranik Margaryan is survived by a wife, two daughters, one son, and five grandchildren.
From 1990 to 1994 he was the head of the information department at the State Department of Special Programs. He then settled to work in Armenia’s State Architectural University as junior scientist from 1994 to 1995.
Prime Minister of Armenia
The Prime Minister of Armenia is the most senior minister within the Armenian government, and is required by the constitution to "oversee the Government's regular activities and coordinate the work of the Ministers." The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of Armenia, but can be removed by...
from 12 May 2000, when the President appointed him, until his death on 25 March 2007. He was a member of the Republican Party of Armenia
Republican Party of Armenia
The Republican Party of Armenia is a national conservative political party in Armenia. It was the first political party in independent Armenia to be founded and registered . It is the largest party of the centre-right in Armenia, and claims to have 140,000 members...
. He succeeded the Sargsyan brothers: Vazgen Sargsyan, who was murdered during the Armenian parliament shooting
1999 Armenian parliament shooting
The 1999 Armenian parliament shooting was an attack on the Armenian parliament in the capital Yerevan on October 27, 1999 at 5:15 p.m, by a group of armed men that killed the Prime Minister of Armenia and 7 other high ranking officials.-Shooting:...
on 27 October 1999 and Aram Sargsyan, whom the President appointed a week later, but fired on 2 May 2000.
Soviet Armenia
Andranik Margaryan was born on June 12, 1951 in YerevanYerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
in what was then the Armenian SSR
Armenian SSR
The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet...
of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
to a family of Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
survivors originally from Sasun. He studied cybernetics at the Yerevan Polytechnic University and graduated as a computer engineer. He first became engaged in Armenian politics
Politics of Armenia
Politics of Armenia takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President is the head of government, and of a platform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government...
in the late 1970s when he joined an illegal political party, the National Unity Party, that was campaigning for Armenia’s secession from the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. He has served on the National Unity Party's board since 1973. Margaryan had been a long time critic of the totalitarian government of the Soviet Union. He envisioned an independent, democratic Armenia. Police arrested him in 1974 and a court sentenced him to two years in Soviet labor camps for proliferating unpatriotic ideas and activities.
Armenian Independence
In 1992, after Armenia's independence, Margaryan became a registered member of the Republican Party of ArmeniaRepublican Party of Armenia
The Republican Party of Armenia is a national conservative political party in Armenia. It was the first political party in independent Armenia to be founded and registered . It is the largest party of the centre-right in Armenia, and claims to have 140,000 members...
(HHK), the first registered party in the 3rd Republic of Armenia. He influenced the party platform with the ideology he expressed as a member of the National United Party. He served as the Republican Party's Chairman of the Board from 1993 until his death. He had also been a member of the "Yerkrapah" Volunteer union since 1996 and served on the YVU's board.
In 2000, he was appointed Prime Minister of Armenia
Prime Minister of Armenia
The Prime Minister of Armenia is the most senior minister within the Armenian government, and is required by the constitution to "oversee the Government's regular activities and coordinate the work of the Ministers." The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of Armenia, but can be removed by...
after the 1999 Armenian parliament shooting
1999 Armenian parliament shooting
The 1999 Armenian parliament shooting was an attack on the Armenian parliament in the capital Yerevan on October 27, 1999 at 5:15 p.m, by a group of armed men that killed the Prime Minister of Armenia and 7 other high ranking officials.-Shooting:...
led to the murder of then prime minister Vazgen Sargsyan. Vazgen's brother, Aram Sargsyan, who the President appointed a week later as prime minister, was fired on May 2, 2000 leading to Andranik Markaryan being appointed as the 14th prime minister of Armenia. He had planned to resign after the May 12, 2007 elections in Armenia. Throughout his career, he was awarded the “Garegin Nzhdeh” medal by the Armenian Defense Ministry alongside the “Aram Manukian,” “Fridjof Nansen” and “Vazgen Sargsyan” medals.
Heart problems and death
Andranik Margaryan died of a heart attackMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
on March 25, 2007 after nearly seven years in office, the second prime minister of Armenia to die in office and the first not related to an assassination. The head of Yerevan's municipal ambulance service reported that the prime minister was unconscious and his heart had stopped beating by the time two ambulance crews arrived at his apartment early in the afternoon. Margaryan was immediately given resuscitation treatment but did not respond.
Margaryan had a history of serious cardiac problems and twice underwent heart surgeries, first in Armenia in 1999 and later in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He regularly visited French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
and Russian clinics for medical examinations.
Andranik Margaryan is survived by a wife, two daughters, one son, and five grandchildren.
Career outside politics
Apart from politics, Margaryan has also followed a career in scientific research. From 1972 until his arrest in 1974, he worked at the Yerevan branch of Scientific-Research Institute of Gas Industry as a senior engineer. After his release from the Soviet labor camps in 1977, he worked at the Scientific-Research Institute of Energy as chief engineer before moving on to find work in the Energy-Technical Factory as head of department in 1978. From 1979 to 1990, he worked at the Information Counting Centre of the Trade Ministry as the head of department of electronics.From 1990 to 1994 he was the head of the information department at the State Department of Special Programs. He then settled to work in Armenia’s State Architectural University as junior scientist from 1994 to 1995.