Democracy wins: PM Pashinyan comments on election of mayor in Abovyan city

YEREVAN, JUNE 10, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan commented on the election of mayor of Abovyan city held on June 9 where the ruling Civil Contact party’s candidate has lost the election.

Pashinyan said democracy won in the Abovyan election. “As for the defeat of the Civil Contract party’s candidate, we have carried out the revolution for this reason so that the pro-governmental candidates will sometimes win and sometimes lose the elections. And if you remember, before the revolution the main slogan for many years was the need to eliminate the monopoly of the Republican Party of Armenia. These elections once again recorded that Armenia is a democratic country, its citizens have a right to make their choice, and the leadership doesn’t use any illegal resource”, the PM said.

He stated that people’s power is established in Armenia.

Commenting on the views that a criminal case, that was launched over the abuses by the Abovyan city hall, was viewed as a pressure attempt, the PM said it is necessary to understand the content of the criminal case, and this has nothing to do with the other issue.

“If you remember, two months after the revolution, our candidate has lost the election in Kapan town. After that free, fair and transparent elections were held and My Step bloc received 70% of votes in Syunik province”, he said, adding that revolution and people win all elections in Armenia.

Incumbent mayor of Abovyan city Vahagn Gevorgyan has been re-elected based on the preliminary results of the June 9 election. He received 8453 votes. The ruling Civil Contract party’s candidate Grigor Gulyan received 8058 votes. The remaining candidates are Sasun Grigoryan (731 votes), Artur Ghazaryan (139 votes) and Manuk Mkrtchyan (435 votes).

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan