Arpine Sargsyan, the Deputy Justice Minister, announced that the Armenian government intends to create an interior ministry as part of an ongoing restructuring exercise that calls for significant structural changes to the foreign intelligence and national security organizations.

At a parliamentary session, Sargsyan stated, "Under the aegis of the new Ministry of Internal Affairs, we will integrate three important services: the Police, the Rescue Service, and the Migration Service.” The National Assembly will likely be presented with a measure to resurrect the ministry in September, according to Justice Minister Karen Andreasyan.

Armenia had an interior ministry until 2003 when the then-President Robert Kocharyan abolished it and created a new organization that reported only to him. Two years ago, as part of a larger police reform strategy, the Justice Ministry's initial recommendation to the cabinet was that the ministry should be revived.

The government is now being reorganized, which includes plans to establish a separate foreign intelligence service and has already led to significant leadership changes at the Defence Ministry. Yerevan's initiative to resurrect the ministry is part of this process.

The National Assembly previously approved legislation that would make the chief of the general staff, who is in charge of the army, also serve as the first deputy defense minister.