YEREVAN — Former Armenian Ambassador to the United States Lilit Makunts will be appointed chief of staff to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the prime minister announced.

Makunts headed Armenia’s diplomatic mission in the United States from 2021 to 2025. Before her appointment as ambassador, she led the ruling “My Step” parliamentary faction for two and a half years.

Arayik Harutyunyan had served as the prime minister’s chief of staff for the past five years.

Both Makunts and Harutyunyan were elected to parliament on the Civil Contract party’s candidate list in the June 7 parliamentary elections. Makunts subsequently submitted a request to the Central Electoral Commission to withdraw her candidacy.