Do you remember the tricks used twice in Vanadzor to manipulate the results of the council elections? First, under the “former” authorities, every effort was made to ensure Mamikon Aslanyan became mayor, including the Orinats Yerkir party’s sudden shift in allegiance. (A similar maneuver was seen in the recent Yerevan council elections.) Then, under the current “non-corrupt” authorities, every effort was made to prevent Aslanyan from becoming mayor. This time, the solution was even more ruthless—the leader of the winning bloc was simply arrested.
A similar scenario may unfold in the Gyumri council elections, with the government-backed candidate, Sarik Minasyan, being declared mayor. However, the possibility of such an outcome does not mean the people of Gyumri should refrain from voting, nor should the non-Civil Contract (non-CP) forces abandon the fight. As history has shown, there are “victories” that end up being more ruinous than defeats—so much so that they are called “Pyrrhic,” after the ancient king who famously said, “One more such victory, and I shall be left without an army.”
The problem here is that quantitative changes accumulate slowly and often go unnoticed—until, suddenly, they reach a tipping point and lead to drastic, unexpected qualitative shifts. Similar processes occur in nature. Belgian physicist Ilya Prigozhin, of Russian origin, discovered that during chaotic transitions, there comes a critical moment (called a “bifurcation point”) when, due to external influence or sheer chance, a system either descends into even greater disorder or reorganizes into a more advanced structure.
The continuous distortion of election results, as we have seen before, leaves two possible outcomes:
Public disillusionment with the electoral process, leading to apathy—or, conversely, a drive to bring change through other means.
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The emergence of a more refined and functional system, where such manipulations are no longer possible.
The second option is, of course, the more desirable one. But meaningful change in public life does not happen on its own. Non-CP political forces must unite, mobilize voters, and actively work toward a better system.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
