Why Participation in Yerevan Elections Was Low: Avinyan Responds

The behind-the-scenes intrigues that are often described do not correspond to reality. This was stated today, on December 29, by Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan during a concluding press conference, responding to the question regarding rumors of tension between him and Nikol Pashinyan.

“Since 2018, I have been following that news narrative, where according to a serial-like logic, there are heroes, anti-heroes, cardinals, tense and complicated relationships. It's an interesting genre to read, but it's a bit closer to the genre of fantasy. Real life tends to be a bit simpler,” he said.

A question was raised regarding the results recorded by the ruling Civil Contract Party (CPP) in the Yerevan City Council elections. Out of 824 thousand voters, only 75,463 voted for the CPP, a uniquely low figure. Avinyan stated, “Our political force received the most votes in all administrative districts of Yerevan. The number of people who participated in the elections represents the opinion of all Yerevan residents.”

He also highlighted why participation in the Yerevan elections was low. “There were two main reasons why Yerevan residents did not participate in the elections. 50 percent of respondents said it was physically inconvenient for them. I would like to remind that it was the day of St. Sargis, which had a significant impact on participation. The second reason was the security situation; when it comes to security, the Yerevan City Council elections cannot become a priority,” he noted.