YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS. Demonstrators had blocked the entrance to Yerevan City Hall from overnight, not allowing staff to enter the building.

The demonstrators gathered outside the City Hall after a video about the personal real estate and other properties of Mayor Taron Margaryan emerged online. The investigative material was initiated by Aren Mkrtchyan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s aide for anti-corruption matters. The video was filmed by FACT TV – First AntiCorruption TV.

“Crimes have been committed, those guilty must be held accountable. We are not demanding Mayor Taron Margaryan’s resignation at this moment, by simply blocking the entrance we are encouraging the crime’s uncovering,” Michael Nazaryan, initiator of the protest said.

MP Hovik Aghazaryan from the Yelk faction arrived at the scene, refusing to give any legal evaluation to the video, but as a political evaluation found Margaryan’s resignation to be appropriate.

“He is a representative of the political team which doesn’t have power now, that is why he too must resign,” the MP said, referring to Margaryan’s affiliation with the HHK.

Demonstrators decided to cease activities when the PM’s aide Aren Mkrtchyan released a statement on Facebook, saying that all materials of the investigative film have been given to the National Security Service. He said that the materials will be attached to the ongoing criminal case into the Yerevan Foundation, where the Mayor serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. “Me and the entire investigative team are ready to be summoned for questioning as witnesses,” Mkrtchyan said.

Taron Margaryan is the son of the late PM Andranik Margaryan.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan