Local elections continue in Armenia’s regions

Republican Party loses in Syunik and Etchmiadzin

by Armen Hakobyan

Published: Saturday October 25, 2008

Yerevan - The ruling Republican Party of Armenia has lost in a number of recent local elections.

Local elections took place in Etchmiadzin on October 19, where Karen Grigorian, son of General Manvel Grigorian (who is president of the Yerkrapah Volunteers Union) ran against Hakob Hakobyan, who is a member of the Republican Party Council and a former member of parliament. Mr. Grigorian was being supported by another general, Seyran Saroyan, who was said to be a supporter of opposition politician Levon Ter-Petrossian.

More than 20,000 registered voters turned out on election day in Etchmiadzin. Mr. Grigorian received 12,208 votes while Mr. Hakobyan received only 6,994. Mr. Hakobyan has decided to appeal the results of the election.

Local elections in Lori province did not take place without controversy. In one of the largest villages, Odzun, the incumbent was a Republican Party member, Melik Ayvazian, who declared that he had won the vote for village head by 7 votes. After a recount it became clear that Mr. Ayvazian had won 1,078 votes and his rival Arsen Titanian had received 1,123 votes. Since there were 69 scrapped ballots, it was decided to hold new elections in Odzun in three weeks.

In Syunik, a traditional Republican stronghold, the party secured seats only in Kajaran and Agarak. In both villages the Republican candidate was running unopposed. In Kapan, in the center of the province, the ARF's Arthur Atayan achieved a clear victory (10,859 votes), while the incumbent mayor, Republican Armen Karapetian received only 7,741 votes. In Meghri the incumbent mayor, again a Republican, lost to a non-partisan candidate. In Sisian, Aghasi Hakobjanian of the Prosperous Armenia Party won, beating out the ARF and the RPA.

The next big test will be on October 26, when mayoral elections are slated to take place in Armenia's second largest city, Gyumri.