YEREVAN, JUNE 16, ARMENPRESS. Mayor of Ejmiatsin (Vagharshapat) Karen Grigoryan has addressed Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan with an open letter regarding the situation in the city, which, in his words, might become uncontrollable.

Below is the full text of the letter:

“Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

I am addressing you not only on my behalf but also on behalf of many citizens of Ejmiatsin. The situation in our city is threatening to become uncontrollable. We have the need of your assistance, we expect your concrete assignment to the police, in order to support in maintaining law and order in the city.

A rally took place on June 14 in Ejmiatsin with the demand of my resignation. We accepted the [pre] notification for the record, although it was submitted with violations of the law. We didn’t anyhow obstruct the rally. The same people have also applied for organizing a rally June 22-24.

And today, on June 16, supporters of Mayor Karen Grigoryan had a lawful authorized permit to hold a rally. And contrary to this, the same people who had organized the June 14 rally had blocked the streets of Ejmiatsin yesterday for the entire day – not allowing us to inform the public about the rally, and since today morning streets are being blocked in Ejmiatsin and right now they are in the city square, in the location where my supporters have the legal rally permit.

This is an explicit provocation, an attempt to clash, which, of course, we won’t go for, but as I said – we require your assistance.

With thanks in advance and expectations of a quick response –

Mayor of Ejmiatsin Karen Grigoryan.”

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan