ArmInfo. Ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) has swept the Sunday elections to the local self-government.
The candidates supported by the Republican Party won in all the large communities, except some villages where ARF Dashnaktsutyun and Prosperous Armenia representatives were elected to the Elders' Councils. The situation was interesting in the second and third largest towns - Gyumri and Vanadzor. Balasanyan Bloc led by the incumbent mayor Samvel Balasanyan and backed by RPA won in Gyumri. The candidates of Prosperous Armenia Party, Armenian Renaissance Party and newly established Gala Party proved on the second, third, and fourth places.
In Vanadzor, there was a severe fight between RPA and the newly established Bright Armenia Party led by Edmon Marukyan. RPA won with prevalence of several thousand of votes. Armenian Renaissance the party list of which was led by a local authority Arkady Peleshyan took the third place. The remaining parties received less than 2000 votes.
It is noteworthy that in Gyumri and Vanadzor the opposition votes prevailed over the votes for RPA. If the opposition forces united, the RPA would not gain victory there.
In the town of Sevan, the winner is Sargis Muradyan, a non-party candidate (deputy head of Sevan National Park) supported by RPA. In the meantime, the incumbent mayor Rudik Ghoukasyan, who is a RPA member, did not receive the support of his party and lost the elections.
In Artik there is a different situation. Mkhitar Varagyan, the candidate not supported by the RPA, though a member of RPA, won the elections. His rival was Mushegh Petoyan, a member of Prosperous Armenia Party supported by RPA.
RPA candidates won the elections in the towns of Sisian and Kapan.