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`Change The City By Changing The Mayor'
http://www.arfd.info/2013/04/19/change-the-city-by-changing-the-mayor/
April 19, 2013
ARF-D members Armen Rustamyan and Arsen Hambartzumyan answer to a
citizen's questions
The ARF-D campaign's round of open meetings with the public kicked off
on April 18 at Yerevan city's Malatia-Sebastia region, yerkir.am
reports. Head of the ARF-D list and Chairman of the party's Supreme
Council of Armenia, Armen Rustamyan told the public that ARF-D is
interested in changing the city by changing the mayor, rather than
winning a few seats in the Council of the Elderly (municipal
authority) of Yerevan.
Aiming at neutralizing the people's discontent, the ruling regime is
trying to present these election as a choice about who the mayor will
be and how he will give solutions to everyday problems, said
Rustamyan. `Because by lowering it to a personal level it is easier
for the authorities to turn the election into a choice based on the
influence of personal acquaintances. That can make the citizens
passive. If you don't show any interest at this election then the
ruling regime will be reproduced. The majority of the people of
Yerevan are unhappy and we have seen that in front of us. By changing
the mayor, we can bring changes not only to Yerevan but to entire
Armenia' he said.
Armen Rustamyan interviewed by media representatives, at the
Malatia-Sebastia meeting
Rustamyan explained that the people's unhappiness is caused by the
fact that the ruling regime has become one with the state, engaging
into actions that are uncontrolled. He said that the situation can be
turned around if the mayor comes from the opposition, therefore he
will act as a counterbalance to the regime.
Rustamyan also pointed out that the ruling party has turned the
mayor's office from an elective position to an appointive one.
Therefore, the appointed mayor doesn't feel he is accountable to the
public. It is no accident that in the past four years Yerevan has had
three mayors while issues such as job creation, emigration, and
housing are still on paper.
The ARF-D member stated that there is a strong potential for the
oppositional forces to cooperate after the election. `If the citizens
realize that by changing the mayor then Yerevan and Armenia entirely
can change then we will be facing not a simple election process but a
true referendum of mistrust against the ruling regime' he added.
Rustamyan spoke about how the regime is using administrative resources
and has been engaged into vote-buying. Nevertheless, the recent
presidential election has showed that these tools are not as effective
as they used to be. Moreover, the opposition has representatives in
voting centers so they can control the process and protect the
citizen's vote.
ARF-D Supreme Council of Armenia, Vice Chairman Arsen Hambartsumyan,
party members and candidates at the Malatia-Sebastia meeting
http://www.arfd.info/2013/04/19/change-the-city-by-changing-the-mayor/
April 19, 2013
ARF-D members Armen Rustamyan and Arsen Hambartzumyan answer to a
citizen's questions
The ARF-D campaign's round of open meetings with the public kicked off
on April 18 at Yerevan city's Malatia-Sebastia region, yerkir.am
reports. Head of the ARF-D list and Chairman of the party's Supreme
Council of Armenia, Armen Rustamyan told the public that ARF-D is
interested in changing the city by changing the mayor, rather than
winning a few seats in the Council of the Elderly (municipal
authority) of Yerevan.
Aiming at neutralizing the people's discontent, the ruling regime is
trying to present these election as a choice about who the mayor will
be and how he will give solutions to everyday problems, said
Rustamyan. `Because by lowering it to a personal level it is easier
for the authorities to turn the election into a choice based on the
influence of personal acquaintances. That can make the citizens
passive. If you don't show any interest at this election then the
ruling regime will be reproduced. The majority of the people of
Yerevan are unhappy and we have seen that in front of us. By changing
the mayor, we can bring changes not only to Yerevan but to entire
Armenia' he said.
Armen Rustamyan interviewed by media representatives, at the
Malatia-Sebastia meeting
Rustamyan explained that the people's unhappiness is caused by the
fact that the ruling regime has become one with the state, engaging
into actions that are uncontrolled. He said that the situation can be
turned around if the mayor comes from the opposition, therefore he
will act as a counterbalance to the regime.
Rustamyan also pointed out that the ruling party has turned the
mayor's office from an elective position to an appointive one.
Therefore, the appointed mayor doesn't feel he is accountable to the
public. It is no accident that in the past four years Yerevan has had
three mayors while issues such as job creation, emigration, and
housing are still on paper.
The ARF-D member stated that there is a strong potential for the
oppositional forces to cooperate after the election. `If the citizens
realize that by changing the mayor then Yerevan and Armenia entirely
can change then we will be facing not a simple election process but a
true referendum of mistrust against the ruling regime' he added.
Rustamyan spoke about how the regime is using administrative resources
and has been engaged into vote-buying. Nevertheless, the recent
presidential election has showed that these tools are not as effective
as they used to be. Moreover, the opposition has representatives in
voting centers so they can control the process and protect the
citizen's vote.
ARF-D Supreme Council of Armenia, Vice Chairman Arsen Hambartsumyan,
party members and candidates at the Malatia-Sebastia meeting