Your trusted source

“Bright Armenia” party is set to apply to the government of Armenia to dissolve the Vanadzor Council of Elder, the self-governmental body of the country’s third largest city amid a continuing boycott of opposition fractions to attend the sittings of the Council.

Unable to attain a quorum, the Republican members of the Council, headed by the mayor from the ruling party, has twice failed to convene extraordinary sessions.
 
Krist Marukyan, Head of “Bright Armenia” opposition fraction represented in the Council told reporters the policy of boycott would be continued to show the ruling party has no majority in the city.

To note, in the result of the municipal elections held in Vanadzor in October 2, three opposition parties jointly secured 18 seats in the 31-member Council of Elders, that practically enabled them to form a majority in the Council, nominate a candidate for the city mayor, leaving the ruling Republican Party and outgoing mayor in minority with only 13 council seats.

However, the Republican candidate for the mayor’s post received surprisingly the most votes in a secret voting, despite his own party being in minority, that led opposition fractions to claim pressure was exerted on their members to vote for him. In a tactical move, the opposition forces next announced a boycott of the sittings, preventing the Council from adopting the budget of the city.

To Marukyan words, the Armenian legislation provides the legal mechanism to dissolve the City Council if it fails to convene sessions three months successively. The time expires on January 10 – the date when “Bright Armenia” plans to apply to the government.