This was all expected: Martun Grigoryan on Vardan Ghukasyan's arrest

Everything could have been done with a notification, and I believe that in such a case, it is unlikely that the mayor would have escaped, run away, or avoided the investigation. It is clear that there was something to demonstrate there—to intimidate the residents of Gyumri and the remaining political teams. This was stated today by Martun Grigoryan, a member of the National Assembly's 'Honorary Member' faction, during a conversation with journalists regarding the arrest and detention of Gyumri's mayor, Vardan Ghukasyan.

Martun Grigoryan also referred to his Facebook post, where he noted: 'Since the last days of the election campaign, I have been detailing—episode by episode—what scenario the ruling party is preparing against the residents of Gyumri and how they plan to take the city in the event of a vulnerable candidate. One needs to listen to the speaker.'

He emphasized that his appeal was not specifically directed at Vardan Ghukasyan. 'I do not have a habit of adding pressure or creating problems for a person who is in difficulty. The reference was to my statements during the electoral period regarding the actions of the authorities. The other aspect relates to the post-election period. At a time when all journalists, so-called bloggers, and analysts were rushing around looking for Martun Grigoryan across the country, insisting I make a statement without delay amid various insults, I had numerous meetings and analyses with my teammates, and I informed everyone about this in detail.'

Taking into account the writing style of this government, it was naturally expected. I was not fighting for the position of mayor, nor was I saying that Vardan should not be there, but I was proposing an alternative so that the collective opposition's victory would not be squandered.