In a rare public appearance, former President Serzh Sarkisian honored on Wednesday the winners of Armenia’s 2019 chess championships in his capacity as chairman of the national Chess Federation.
Sarkisian attended the awards ceremony organized for the men’s and women’s champions, Arman Pashikian and Maria Gevorgian, as well as Hayk Martirosian, the winner of a separate blitz chess tournament. According to the Armenpress news agency, he also handed awards to other Armenian chess players during the ceremony held at the Tigran Petrosian Chess House in Yerevan.
A keen chess fan, Sarkisian has headed the Armenian Chess Federation for well over a decade. During his tenure Armenia’s men’s national team won the world Chess Olympiads in 2006, 2008 and 2012.
Sarkisian was also instrumental in the former Armenian government’s decision to make chess a mandatory subject in primary schools. Armenia was the first country in the world to add the game to the school curriculum.
Sarkisian has remained federation chairman even after resigning as Armenia’s prime minister in April last year amid mass street protests against his continued rule. The 64-year-old ex-president, who governed Armenia for ten years, has made very few public statements and appearances since then.
Sarkisian also remains the chairman of the former ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK). An HHK spokesman said last week that he has no plans to retire from active politics.
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