Imprisoned Mayors Will Remain in Detention Even If Elected: 'Zhoghovurd'

'Zhoghovurd' newspaper reports: 'The ongoing local government elections in Armenia are mostly taking place under the radar and with little public interest. In comparison, attention is focused on Gyumri as the second city and the communities in Syunik, due to the criminal cases initiated against the leaders of large communities, some of whom are imprisoned.

For instance, the mayor of Goris, Arush Arushanyan, who is also a candidate for the position, is currently in detention. According to circulating rumors in Goris, even if he were to miraculously be re-elected, it does not necessarily mean he would be released from prison and able to lead the community.

Residents of Goris are concerned that should such a development occur, the community will suffer, impacting its progress. One resident mentioned in a conversation: 'The community leader must be someone who can bring money, programs, and new opportunities to our city. Nothing will improve if we oppose the central authority; we and our children will suffer.'

Overall, there is a sense that people are tired of discussing internal political life and desire real changes, wishing for conditions for living and education for their children similar to those in the capital. Many continue to associate the lack of such conditions with the inaction of previous authorities, while the current ones are restoring roads and highways that had been neglected for years, leading people to overlook many newly emerging problems.

The situation is almost the same in other communities of Syunik. Subconsciously, people strive for change, believing that their former leaders, tightly intertwined with previous authorities, should have fought for the development of their communities with such diligence back then. If necessary, they should have called for rebellion, rather than standing idly as if in a youth committee when someone from Yerevan came to them, over the years when roads were left unpaved, schools unrenovated, etc. As they say, everything will eventually turn upside down.'

For more details, see today's issue of the newspaper.