The ex-mayor of Yerevan lost his mandate in the city council. Is it a "political vendetta"?
Hayk Marutyan’s mandate was revoked
The Yerevan Council of the Elders, functioning as the city’s “legislative body”, revoked the mandates of three opposition members, including former mayor Hayk Marutyan, citing their consistent absence from council meetings without valid reasons. Marutyan condemned this action as a “political vendetta.”
In response, Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan clarified that criticism of the government does not warrant the revocation of mandates. He emphasized the importance of ensuring the Council of the Elders functions effectively, stating that prolonged inaction cannot be justified under the guise of a boycott.
Avinyan refuted claims of political vendetta, asserting that there is no logical basis for such allegations.
The reason cited is absenteeism
The ruling party proposed revoking the mandates of five Council of the Elders members due to their consistent absence from meetings, lack of participation in voting, and failure to engage in commission work. Notably, former mayor Hayk Marutyan attended only one meeting in 2023 and did not partake in any of the 42 votes or commission activities.
The initiative to revoke mandates was led by the “Civil Contract” and “Republic” factions, which had signed a cooperation memorandum. However, their combined votes (32) fell short of the required number to terminate the powers of opposition council members early.
While two members of the opposition faction “Public Voice” supported the initiative, they voted to revoke the mandates of only three council members instead of five. Consequently, only Hayk Marutyan, Sona Aghekyan, and Narine Hayrapetyan had their powers terminated.
What does the law stipulate?
The circumstances under which the mandate of a Council of the Elders member can be terminated prematurely are outlined in the “About Local Self-Government” law. Article 22 of the law stipulates that individuals who “without valid reasons have missed more than half of the council meetings, votes, or meetings of the standing committee within one year may lose their mandate.”
The ruling team also cites a decision of the Council of the Elders, which specifies that only business trips and health issues, confirmed by relevant documentation, are considered valid excuses for absences.
An effort to silence the opposition?
Members of the opposition factions allege that the ruling team’s decision aims to exert pressure on the opposition, intending to “silence them,” particularly targeting those who criticize the city authorities sharply.
The ruling Civil Contract faction refutes these allegations. Armen Galjyan, the faction’s leader, stressed that it is incorrect to characterize the move as silencing the opposition, as the mandates will be transferred to members of the same political party, the next in line on the electoral list.
“They silence the one who speaks. If you don’t come to meetings and don’t speak, then why should we try to silence you?”- Vice Mayor Suren Grigoryan remarked.
“This is a shameless decision”
The head of the “National Progress” faction, former mayor Hayk Marutyan, denounced the Council of the Elders’ decision as shameless. He pointed out that while the law on local self-government allows for such action, it states “may lose its mandate,” indicating it’s not mandatory. Marutyan questioned why previous Council of the Elders members, who had “been absent from meetings for years,” weren’t stripped of their mandates.
“You’re expelling us because we oppose you; we demand [the mayor’s] resignation,” Marutyan asserted.
He stressed that he was entrusted with a mandate by the people of Yerevan; his “employers are the voters.” Thus, this decision by the city authorities represents “disrespect for the will of the people.”
Marutyan also highlighted that attending meetings constitutes only 10% of a council member’s duties. The majority of their time is spent developing projects, engaging with constituents, and organizing public discussions. He underlined that they “don’t earn a penny” for these efforts; council members do not receive salaries.
The former mayor regards boycotting meetings as the sole method of political resistance:
“By abstaining from meetings that deprive quorum, we could prevent the ruling force from making its ill-conceived and detrimental decisions.”
He stated that the decision to revoke the mandates had also deprived the opposition of the opportunity to challenge the authorities.
Marutyan then announced to reporters his intention to establish a new party to contest the 2026 parliamentary elections, with himself as a candidate for the prime ministerial position.
Follow us – Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Hayk Marutyan’s mandate was revoked
