“Aravot” daily spoke with Mane Tandilyan, the Leader of the “Aprelu Yerkir”-“Country to Live ” party, about the legality and goals of the demand to hold extraordinary elections in Yerevan.
– Mrs. Tandilyan, your statements are being actively discussed in the media that the “Country to Live” party demands extraordinary elections. It will go to court if the government fails to act and does not call those elections. From the rhetoric of the ruling power, it is assumed that they have no intention of extraordinary elections. Can you specify which requirement the law provides for?
– Our demand for extraordinary elections in Yerevan stems from the law, the application of which we already had a precedent back in 2018 after the resignation of Taron Margaryan. At that time, it was more appropriate for today’s authorities to hold early elections and not “worry” for a minute about whether the opposition was ready or not, and 17 days after a new mayor was not elected within two weeks, the government reduced the council of elders and called early elections.
Today, however, some people, the ruling power, cite a point of the law as a justification for their inaction that the Yerevan Council of Elders is dissolved if it fails to elect a mayor immediately after the elections. There is no regulation regarding other periods. However, eliminating light legal illiteracy will force the authorities and the structures close to the government to stop applying their interpretations and practicality instead of the law. It is necessary to study the legislative field better. Suppose the law of Yerevan does not regulate this issue. In that case, it is held by the direction of the local government (by part 2 of Article 6 of the Law on Yerevan: “2. Relations with local self-government in Yerevan that are not regulated by this law are regulated by the “On Local Self-Government” of the Republic of Armenia by law to the extent that they do not contradict this law). And the Local Government Law has a solution for such situations. The government shortens the term of office of the Council of Elders if a candidate for mayor is nominated after two weeks following the relevant regulations of the RA Electoral Code. So our demand comes from a legal rather than from the vision of having a state with ideas. Fulfill the requirement of the law. Yerevan should eliminate the Council of Elders that allows the arbitrary actions of an unelected person who has never received a vote in Yerevan. A citizen of Yerevan voted for the Council of Elders to exercise his authority and elect a mayor. Not doing that and continuing to exist means the usurpation of power. We will not tolerate it for the sake of the dignity of the people of Yerevan and the establishment of a legal state.
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– We noticed some complaints from other forces that applied to participate in the elections of the Yerevan Council of Elders. There is an opinion that the opposition is still being prepared for an extraordinary. What do you say to those who make such statements?
– I would say, in that case, perhaps propose a legislative change and write that “extraordinary elections can be held when more than 80 parties operating in the country declare their readiness”.
What kind of absurd argument is that? If the Yerevan Council of Elders election is not an amateur campaign for political power, then it was necessary to prepare for these elections on the day of the appointment of the last retired mayor. And that it was not an election but a staging to clear the field for the CC’s “future”; no self-respecting political force could have any doubt. Unfortunately, those who make such statements for political gain are ready to walk over the laws and disregard people’s choices. Yerevan does not deserve such treatment. It is not subject to a discussion that Yerevan should be governed by an elected member of the Council of Elders, even during these five months.
What the authorities have done is illegal, I repeat, in the seizure of power in Yerevan, and the one who supports it and speaks in favor of it, moreover, the force that does not oppose it, is an accomplice. The people of Yerevan see and feel this. The time will come when they will give their assessment, turning the Council elections into a referendum of no confidence in the government and punishing those who attempt to seize power and their supporters. After all, make sure that tomorrow you will be judged by the law, not by ideas or according to political expediency.
“Aravot” daily newspaper
04.05.2023
