The Armenian government made a decision that Yerevan City Council elections will be held within 30-40 days. Territorial Administration and Development Minister Suren Papikyan said that the term of office of the Yerevan City Council is being reduced to hold extraordinary elections. 87,660 thousand drams from the state budget will be allocated to the police for organizing the elections.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that the Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Armenia will announce the election day. The Prime Minister asked Papikyan whether the Commission is technically ready for the elections. Papikyan said it is.
Pashinyan asked whether it is also ready morally and psychologically. Papikyan answered: “I believe so”.
According to Nikol Pashinyan, these are the first elections to be held under their tenure, and he hopes that these elections will be exceptional, legitimate, transparent and fair: “Freedom of choice, democracy, and legitimacy are the top priority for us. I want to once more emphasize that the issues are very clearly defined: election forging groups have no place in these elections, and if they believe they do, then law enforcement bodies will react immediately. No vote-buying case should be recorded in this election, or anyone engaged in vote buying should not be able to escape being held accountable. Any unlawful influence on Armenian citizens should be ruled out, and this is the responsibility of our government. I believe that everything will happen exactly like this, but I hope no one will be tempted to try his luck. If there is such a person, then that is his problem, law enforcement bodies will deal with him”.
Lusine BUDAGHYAN
