Azernews.Az

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on Tuesday signed a decree appointing Lieutenant-General Vladimir Gasparyan as the chief of police, ARKA reported.

Earlier, Gasparyan was deputy defense minister.

According to Sargsyan, Alik Sargsyan was dismissed from his position and was appointed as an adviser to the president.

Gasparyan was born in Estonia on Sept. 9, 1958. He graduated from the High Investigation School of the Soviet Interior Ministry in 1989. He served in the Armed Forces in 1978-1976. Gasparyan worked at the Armenian Interior Ministry in 1982-1995. He headed the military police in 1997.

Political analyst Yervand Bozoyan told ArmeniaNow that the personnel changes show that the authorities are getting prepared for the upcoming elections, and the president needs "tough" personalities.

"Vova [Vladimir] Gasparyan is one of those tough personalities," Bozoyan says.

Lawmaker, head of the Heritage parliamentary faction Styopa Safaryan told ArmeniaNow that President Sargsyan is simply strengthening his team ahead of the May 2012 parliamentary elections, rather than attempting systemic change.

"As a result of these changes he [Serzh Sargsyan] will please some people very much, and they will compensate the president by their services at the upcoming elections," Safaryan says.

Mass media is predicting a parade of other dismissals, including the Minister of Defense, Chief Prosecutor and Chief of National Security Service.