Three political parties – Bright Armenia, Prosperous Armenia and Armenian Renaissance – have come up with a joint petition to the government of Armenia calling for suspension of the terms and duties of Vanadzor City Council of Elder, the self-governmental body of the country’s third largest city, amid continuing boycott of opposition fractions to attend the sittings of the Council.
Unable to attain a quorum, the Republican members of the Council, headed by the mayor from the ruling party, has failed to convene extraordinary sessions since the formation of the new Council.
To note, after municipal elections held in Vanadzor in October 2, 2016 three opposition parties jointly secured 18 seats in the 31-member Council of Elders, that practically enabled them to form a majority in the Council, nominate a candidate for the city mayor, leaving the ruling Republican Party and outgoing mayor in minority with only 13 council seats.
However, the Republican candidate for the mayor’s post received surprisingly the most votes in a secret voting, despite his own party being in minority, that led opposition fractions to claim pressure was exerted on their members to vote for him. In a tactical move, the opposition forces next announced a boycott of the sittings, preventing the Council from adopting the budget of the city.
The statement released by Bright Armenia party cites the Armenian legislation provisions, providing the legal mechanisms to dissolve the City Council if it fails to convene sessions three months successively with the time expiring on January 10.