Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamian says several government structures would be merged into a new Interior Ministry.
Addressing reporters in the southern resort town of Jermuk on November 7, Abrahamian defended a "gradual optimization" of the government system, saying 19 ministries is “too many for Armenia.”
The Interior Ministry was reorganized into the National Police Force in 2002.
Earlier this week, the government asked parliament to approve the merger of the Emergency Situations and Local Government ministries and the establishment of a new ministry dealing with economic integration ahead of the country's planned membership in the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union next year.
Opposition groups have criticized the shakeup, with Mikayel Melkumian of the Prosperous Armenia Party describing the creation of a new ministry in charge of economic integration as a potential waste of money.
The existing Economy Ministry, he said, could do the job.
