WILL THE MAYOR BE ELECTED FROM BONUSES?

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18:16 04/12/2007

The bill "On local self-government and territorial management in
Yerevan" stirred up great passions in the parliament today. The
deputies were concerned on one provision of the bill which says that
the mayor is elected through indirect elections – by the elders.

Why is the mayor elected by the elders and not the citizens? "Indirect
elections are very widespread in the European countries and they
justify themselves. We have considered several principle matters that
we must have an institute of professional and experienced elders
that will be elected by a team and will be responsible to a team,"
Vache Terteryan, deputy minister of territorial management explained.

The number of elders will be 65. In his words, in case any party
collects votes of 40+1, the first person on the list of that party
will become a mayor. "We have created a bonus system, i.e., there
will be additional places so that the mayor has the majority of 40+1
seats. The management of the city thus gets into the hands of one
political team," he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress