GAGIK TSARUKIAN’S SON-IN-LAW ELECTED ABOVIAN MAYOR

A1+
[02:16 pm] 13 October, 2008

Yesterday’s elections to self-government bodies in the city of Abovian
passed without major incidents and surprise. The election outcome
was known to voters beforehand as there was only one candidate for
the City Mayor – Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) member Karapet Guloyan.

The Territorial Election Commission (TEC) reported high vote turnout,
22 913 out of 39 303 eligible voters participated in the election. The
most striking is that yesterday evening the TEC informed A1+ that 20
125 people participated in the vote, while today morning the turnout
mounted to 22 913.

"Everything is predetermined. It is useless to run in an election
where all candidates are known in advance. It is a waste of time,"
Abovian citizen Seda Arakelian said to A1+.

"We aren’t given a choice as there is only one candidate standing
for the post," said Valerie Simakian.

"I am going to vote for my relative who runs for Alderman, otherwise
I wouldn’t participate in the vote," said Hermine Vardanian.

According to the Abovian TEC Karapet Guloyan has got 21 618 votes
for and 610 against. 660 ballot papers were found invalid.

Eleven BHK and four non-party candidates have been elected to
Abovian’s Municipal Council. Reminder, 47 candidates were running
for the local Aldermen.