Sunday, September 23 2018 11:26

ArmInfo. As a result of elections to the Council of Elders, Yerevan will be headed by a  candidate from the people. This opinion was voiced during the voting  at the polling station by the director of the National Security  Service (NSS) of Armenia, the president of the Football Federation  Arthur Vanetsyan.

According to him, the current elections will differ from others in  that this time the will of the people will be reflected. "The mayor  will elect a candidate from the people, and no one will doubt the  fairness of these elections," - said Vanetsyan.

Commenting on the police checks and searches in one of the offices of  the Prosperous Armenia Party, as well as Naira Zohrabyan's call for  checking the signals that certain people on the eve of the "silence"  called and agitated for the candidate supported by Nikol Pashiyann,  Vanetsyan said , that "the SNB always performs its functions, but has  no right to voice it." The head of the National Security Service  stressed that the implementation of relevant functions in the  competence of the Police, and it is incorrect that the department  headed by him interferes in the electoral Processes. "Rest assured,  if there are signals that serve as the basis for the relevant  measures, we, without a moment's hesitation to do so. I assure you  that all violators of the law will be held responsible, "he said.

Recall that in the Armenian capital, early elections to the Council  of Elders of Yerevan started. At 08:00 all 475 polling stations were  opened. Voting will last until 20:00. 12 political forces participate  in elections:  four blocs and eight parties. Known political numbers  in the ballot. Elections in the Council of Elders can take place as  one tour, and two. If, according to the results of elections to the  Council of Elders, one of the forces participating in them receives  more than 50% of the mandates, then the candidate who is the first  number of the list of this party will be considered elected mayor. If  none of the political forces has won more than 50% of the vote in the  elections, all factions included in the Council of Elders have the  right to nominate their candidate, who must be elected by a majority  of the Council members, which will consist of 65 people. Elections  are of a secret nature. If none of the faction candidates receives an  absolute majority of votes, then the candidates who obtained the  largest number of votes from the persons represented in the first  round are held in the second round of voting and the winner becomes  the candidate who attains a simple majority of votes. If they receive  an equal number of votes, then the preference is given to the  candidate who is older by age. He becomes the newly elected mayor of  the Armenian capital.

At the same time, the second round of elections and additional voting  are held immediately after the announcement of the results of the  main vote. Let's also note that if in the first round of elections  only one candidature for the post of mayor is presented, then the  votes "for" him should be more votes cast "against" him. "For" should  vote more than 40% of the total number of members of the Council of  Elders.