Samvel Balasanyan re-elected as Armenia`s Gyumri mayor 

ArmInfo. By the decision of the territorial election commission of the 34th district, Samvel Balasanyan has been re-elected as Gyumri mayor. Under the decision, Balasanyan Bloc supported by the ruling  Republican Party of Armenia will have 17 seats and consequently, an  absolute majority at the Elders' Council. This means that Balasanyan  Bloc will have a right to automatically nominate its own candidate  for mayor.  

The decision has angered the opposition representatives elected to  the Elders' Council of Gyumri. They say Balasanyan Bloc received 15  seats and no right to nominate its own candidate automatically. The  opposition says the Election Code has been interpreted differently by  the opposition and the Republican Party that supports Balasanyan Bloc  of the incumbent mayor Samvel Balasanyan.  It is noteworthy that CEC  supports RPA's interpretation giving absolute majority of votes to  Balasanyan Bloc. Eventually, Prosperous Armenia,  Armenian Rebirth,  and GALA political parties have made a joint statement wherein they  say that the incumbent mayor's political party Balasanyan Bloc used  administrative resource, gave bribes and made other violations during  the local elections. The three parties threaten to boycott the  meetings of the Gyumri town council if Balasanyan Bloc received 17  seats in it.