POLITICAL INTRIGUE IN GYUMRI: LONG-TIME MAYOR’S RETURN IS IN QUESTION
By Siranuysh Gevorgyan

ArmeniaNow
23.07.12 | 15:24

The Mayor of Gyumri has resigned his post as head of Shirak regional
branch of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), sparking
speculation that without his party’s support he will not run for the
mayor of Armenia’s “second city” during the local government elections
slated for September 9.

Vardan Ghukasyan, who has been in the news as much for his personal
controversies as for his politics, has been running the city for 16
years. He has said that he will definitely seek re-election, saying
that citizens demand his continued service.

When asked by journalists about his resignation, Ghukasyan only said:
“It is what needed to be done”.

Others following Armenian politics say Ghukasyan’s resignation should
be viewed in light of another event. Specifically, Prosperous Armenia
Party has nominated its National Assembly Deputy, Samvel Balasanyan to
run for the mayoral post. It has been reported that prior to announcing
his candidacy, Balasanyan had a meeting with President Serzh Sargsyan,
head of the RPA, during which he got the presidents “approval”.

Further speculation is that an agreement has been struck between
PAP and RPA, which would give the mayor’s race to Balasanyan. It is
noteworthy that at the past parliamentary elections the PAP got more
votes than the RPA in Gyumri.

Vahan Tumasyan, head of Shirak Center NGO in Gyumri, believes that
Ghukasyan’s leaving is an opportunity to weed out corruption.

“The real owner and head of Gyumri during the recent decade and until
now is the criminal mob, and Gyumretsis, at least 99 percent of them,
are its humble servant. At this moment the most important issue is
the decriminalization of Gyumri, and now its possibility is quite
nearer than ever. It could be done only this way,” Tumasyan says.

Political analyst Yervand Bozoyan believes that the RPA refuses
to support Ghukasyan anymore, and yields Gyumri to protect its own
reputation.

“Vardanik [meaning Ghukasyan] has created a criminal zone in Gyumri
during these years, and with his family has defamed himself and the
RPA so much that the RPA understood he has no chances to be reelected,
and if he is nominated he will disgrace the party. Meanwhile PAP has
managed to capitalize Gyumretsis’ protest, to become a force that
would be a counterbalance to Vardanik. And the RPA has decided to
sacrifice Vardanik in order to protect its own reputation,” Bozoyan
told ArmeniaNow, adding that at the moment the RPA has no other person
in Gyumri to nominate other than Ghukasyan, and time would be needed
to find such a figure.

The situation is tense in Gyumri against the background of these
events. On Sunday online newspapers released an open letter, where
a group of Gyumretsis have expressed their concerns over Ghukasyan’s
family, in particular his son – Spartak Ghukasyan – who is known for
his allegedly-illegal behavior.

At the same time, according to Shirakcenter.org, the mayor’s son
has voiced threats and swearing near Balasanyan’s house saying:
“You will not enjoy it.”

From: Baghdasarian