Sarik Minasyan elected Gyumri mayor 

ArmInfo. Sarik Minasyan has  become the acting mayor of the second largest and most important city  in Armenia, Gyumri. This became known based on the results of the  internal party vote held by the ruling Civil Contract party in the  country. 

As a result of the primary, 253 votes were cast for Minasyan's  candidacy. A total of 7 candidates participated in the internal party  vote. The votes were distributed as follows: Levon Ananyan - 91,  David Arushanyan - 220, Shavarsh Aramyan - 88, Sarik Minasyan - 253,  Emma Vardanyan - 113, Vahagn Mkrtchyan - 138, Karen Sarukhanyan -  143.

Earlier, RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that he would  appoint the winning candidate as acting mayor of Gyumri.

On October 28, Gyumri Mayor Vardges Samsonyan resigned. This happened  after a criminal case was opened against the founder of the bloc,  former mayor Samvel Balasanyan, who is accused of illegally  alienating land plots around the famous "Black Fortress". One of  Balasanyan's sons was recently detained.  At the same time, members  of the Council of Elders of the Balasanyan bloc also resigned. On  November 8, the Gyumri Council of Elders meeting to elect a new mayor  of the city failed due to the lack of a quorum.  In this regard, the  Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Alen Simonyan announced the  holding of new elections in Gyumri, which, according to preliminary  data, will take place in the spring of 2024.