Some of the results of the December 5 local elections were clearly not enough for the government, which is now engaged in “correcting” those results. Traditionally, such “correction tools” are law enforcement agencies. The leader of the alliance that won the most votes in Vanadzor, former mayor Mamikon Aslanyan, has been arrested. A similar tool was used in Vardenis. In Vedi and Talin, anti-government members elected to the city councils are being pressured so that non-Civil Contract forces do not form a majority in those communities. It can be added that the mayor of Goris remains in custody.
The issue of expressing no confidence in the mayor of Yerevan was also on the agenda. Although Hayk Marutyan does not make political speeches and tries to be useful to the capital (with variable success), Pashinyan is probably concerned that the mayor of Yerevan may become his rival in some arrangements, and is taking preventive measures against him. It is very possible that the Prime Minister will appoint a mayor (let’s not pretend that there will be “elections” for that position) as a member of the Civil Contract to say: “Over the last three years, Armenians have chosen democracy over authoritarianism twice. The first time was in 2018, following the non-violent, velvet revolution, and the subsequent free and fair snap election,” Pashinyan said at the Summit for Democracy.
The Prime Minister’s statement about the “first time” is partially true. In 2018, a majority of citizens (regardless of how they voted) hoped that the authoritarian system would be overcome and that Armenia would take steps towards democracy. I had the same hopes. For the second time, in June 2021, after the complete failure of the government and the defeat in the war, the majority of the 54% of citizens who voted for the Civil Contract (let me remind you that in 2018 it was 70.5%) had absolutely no desire to go to democracy. They gave a “steel mandate” to destroy the “former.” In other words, the direction is the exact opposite – to deepen and strengthen authoritarianism. What is being done?
So there is no “broad demand” for democracy and the rule of law now. And under these conditions, any government, even made up of angels, will act arbitrarily and illegally, just as much, and perhaps much worse, than the previous government.
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Aram Abrahamyan
