Post-Electoral Brawl in Meghri

On Sunday, a brawl took place in Meghri, during which the newly appointed community leader Bagrat Zakaryan's brother and cousin assaulted Arthur Atanesyan, the head of the community’s municipal department, who is currently hospitalized at the Meghri medical center.

Atanesyan's phone was answered yesterday by someone named Vahe, who identified himself as a friend of Atanesyan, and informed that Atanesyan is unable to speak due to injuries to his face and head and is asleep under the influence of painkillers. The friend confirmed the occurrence of the brawl but did not wish to provide further information, stating he knows no details regarding the reasons or specifics of the incident.

"Yes, I am his friend, but I wasn't there at that moment, I can't say anything false. Right now he is asleep; they injected him, and he is asleep," said Atanesyan's friend, according to Hraparak.am.

Former Meghri Mayor and the head of the Civil Contract party’s Meghri territorial structure, Ararat Tumanyan, informed a media outlet yesterday that Atanesyan was pressured to write a resignation letter, which he refused. The mayor also allegedly threatened Atanesyan.

On Sunday, Atanesyan was reportedly engaged in gardening at his plot in Vahravar when he was attacked by the mayor's brother, Eghishe Zakaryan, his cousin Vardan Zakaryan, and another relative, Libik Ohanian.

We learned that Ararat Tumanyan has also approached the police, although he stated that Atanesyan's close friend, the former head of the Agarak administrative area, Gevorg Arakelyan, witnessed the incident but refuses to give testimony, claiming he was too far away.

Neither Tumanyan nor Gevorg Arakelyan were available for comment. It is worth noting that the victim, Arthur Atanesyan, was appointed as the head of the municipal department during Tumanyan's temporary leadership of the community. He previously worked in a combine, but after encountering conflict with the leadership due to 'revolutionary' behavior, he was dismissed. Later, he worked at the Meghri customs post, transporting goods across the border until he moved to the municipality as head of the municipal department after the former mayor of Meghri, Mkhitar Zakaryan, was arrested by the authorities.

As of yesterday evening, Atanesyan had not yet provided testimony to the police due to his condition, and there are other theories circulating regarding the brawl. Some claim that he had engaged in anti-propaganda against Bagrat Zakaryan during the pre-election period, made derogatory statements about Zakaryan, and announced in the community that Zakaryan is a coward who abandoned the battlefield at a critical moment. Now, having assumed power, Zakaryan allegedly decided to settle the scores.

The newly elected mayor, Zakaryan, also declined to offer any clarifications. "I do not wish to comment on such matters now; I am heavily burdened with daily work. Let the law enforcement agencies handle such questions; many things can be attributed to me every day. That’s it," said the new official, before disconnecting the call.

It is worth recalling that Bagrat Zakaryan was elected mayor on November 11. He was nominated by the Republic Party and secured 6 mandates. He signed a memorandum of cooperation with Khachatur Andreasyan, the leader of the Liberal Party list (which received 2 mandates). The ruling force obtained 5 mandates, while the Living Land Party secured 2. The Civil Contract party is in opposition here.

Khachik Andreasyan, the representative of the Liberal Party and deputy mayor, also told us that he has no details about the incident, as he was not in the city. He assured that he would speak when he learns more.

According to the information and public relations department of the Police of the Republic of Armenia, a report has been filed at the police regarding the incident; the injured citizen is in the hospital, a forensic examination has been ordered, and materials are being prepared.