Acting defense minister Vigen Sargsyan says he will continue serving Armenia and the people. Speaking to reporters, Sargsyan said he will serve in the most various ways.

“I believe professional work based on knowledge and experience is always needed, be it in public or political sectors, or [academic]. I promise that my service will be diverse. I will remain in the political arena, I think I will provide a little time to restoring my academic activity, because I have been unable to deal with it in the recent years due to busy workload,” Sargsyan said.

The acting minister said he will also spend more time with his family. Sargsyan says he will be able to plan a full holiday, something he didn’t have the chance to do in the last 23 years.

“I think I will spend more time for my favorite hobby – reading, spending time with my friends. This contains positive things. Serving the country means being engaged in specialized activity. By the say, public administration is my profession, therefore whatever it is that I will do will be connected with my profession,” he said.

Sargsyan, who serves as defense minister from 2016, announced May 8 – after the election of Nikol Pashinyan as Prime Minister, that he rules out working in the new government which is due to be formed.