Heritage: Yerevan Mayor election of May 5 ended in another victory of money and administrative resources over public

Yerevan Mayor election of May 5 ended in another victory of money and administrative resources over public, Secretary of Heritage Party Board Stepan Safaryan told ArmInfo.  

By preliminary data of the CEC's e-calculation of votes from all the 464 polling stations, the ruling Republican Party of Armenia wins the elections to the Elders' Council of Yerevan.  Incumbent Mayor Taron Margaryan tops the RPA party list.  The Republicans received 55.89% of votes or 235512 votes.
Prosperous Armenia Party with Vartan Oskanian took the second place with 23.07% of 97189 votes. Barev Yerevan opposition bloc with Armen Martirosyan took the third place with 8.48% or 35732 votes. The bloc is part of Heritage Party led by Raffi Hovannisian, who received 42.9% of votes at the past presidential elections in Feb 2013. 
Given that the threshold to the city council is 6% for parties and 8% for blocs, only the given parties were elected to the Elders' Council of Yerevan. Armenian National Congress Party received 4.39% of 18499 votes. ARFD received 3.8% or 15999. Orinats Yerkir received 3.73% or 15733 votes. Arakelutyun received 0.64% or 2692 votes.  
"Elections were conducted in terrible conditions where propaganda of  any ideas and political capital had no significance. Something similar was observed at the past parliamentary elections when the authorities were delivering voters to polling stations on any vehicles. Thousands of citizens were told from 'above' to ensure specific quantity of votes in favor of the Republicans and bring specific number of voters to polling stations etc. On May 5 the authorities and not the election committees or the opposition controlled over elections.  Elections were beyond the polling stations and the election committees," Safaryan said.  
Earlier, Heritage Party Spokesperson Hovsep Khurshudyan said that Barev Yeervan bloc might dispute the voting outcome. The party will announce its final decision within the period stipulated by the law.  
Elections to the Elders' Council of Yerevan were conducted in all the 12 administrative districts in the city on May 5. The electoral registered comprised 816475 people, with voter turnout totaling 53.53% or 437021 voters.  The Elders' Council will elect Yerevan Mayor. Given that the Republicans received majority of votes, Taron Margaryan will retain his position of the Yerevan Mayor. -m-