Pashinyan Purges Kotayk of Mikayelyan's Cadres Ahead of Elections: 'Hraparak'

'Hraparak' newspaper reports: 'Ahead of the elections, Nikol Pashinyan is purging Kotayk of Sasun Mikayelyan’s cadres. Yesterday, Governor Mesrop Mesropyan was dismissed, who is a friend and relative of Mikayelyan’s wife. Pashinyan suspects that administrative resources may be used by Mikayelyan not for the government but for other forces.'

It is recalled that Mikayelyan recently announced his intention not to participate in the elections, and the real reason is his demand to have his eldest son, Mekhak, written in the first five allocated seats for him. Moreover, he presented Pashinyan with a long list of members from the Yerkrapah Volunteer Corps, insisting they should be included in the winnable positions on the list.

'The commander' planned to have a group of 'defenders' under his curation in the future parliament, a proposal that Pashinyan rejected, leading to Mikayelyan's announcement to withdraw from the electoral race. He has threatened close associates that if he does not work in Kotayk, they will see how much support the government receives.

This is precisely why a new governor, previously with ties to the KGB, was appointed to consolidate control over the region ahead of the elections using old and familiar methods. This process will begin from the governor's office by removing relatives of Sasun Mikayelyan. It is important to note that Mikayelyan's daughter serves as the assistant to the governor, his son-in-law is the deputy governor, and many department heads and staff members are also linked to Sasun.

However, time is short—will the new governor be able to change the atmosphere in the region?