Hrachya Sargsyan Elected Mayor of Yerevan

YEREVAN — By a vote of 44 to 10 the Council of Elders (the legislative assembly) of Armenia’s capital city Yerevan removed today Hayk Marutyan as mayor. The Council of Elders also voted to replace Marutyan with his former deputy Hrachya Sargsyan.

The My Step faction in the Council of Elders controlled by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract Party announced officially its decision to replace Marutyan by one of his deputies last Friday, accusing now the former mayor of taking steps without consulting with the Council of Elders.

Speaking before the vote, Marutyan said it was the first impeachment of the mayor of Yerevan in the history of the capital, describing the process as ‘disrespect for democracy and the votes of the people of Yerevan.’

He said that the reason for initiating the process of his dismissal by “My Step” was that he left the ranks of the ruling party “Civil Contract” a year ago.

The relationship between Pashinyan and Marutyan took a crack after the 2020 autumn war in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), when the mayor distanced himself from the political force that supported his elections.

Newly elected mayor Sargsyan thanked Marukyan for the joint work.

“During three years we have started different reforms in different spheres. We will continue the reforms that we have started and are underway for the benefit of the city of Yerevan,” said Hrachya Sargsyan.

The newly elected mayor was elected a member of the Council of Elders on the proportional list of the My Step bloc on September 23, 2018. In October 2018, he was appointed First Deputy Mayor. Hrachya Sargsyan was a member of the Mission Party.