Epress.am News from Armenia
Former Yerevan mayor Karen Karapetyan approved a few decisions during his term which were widely protested by certain segments of society including street vendors and owners of kiosks in the various administrative districts of the Armenian capital.
After Karapetyan announced his resignation, Epress.am had a chance to speak with members of these groups who organized regular protests outside city hall.
Alla Davtyan, a clothing vendor who works in the pedestrian underpass on Tigran Mets Ave., sold her wares on the street before the ban on street vending was put into effect last January. She said Karapetyan’s resignation was necessary because “he was not a democratic leader.”
“If a leader is not with his people, then what leader is he to me? Basically, they want a genocide to happen, for people to leave; that’s all they dream about, so that’s our only joy — that he left. I would like that instead of him, we have a good Armenian mayor, born alongside the people, who knows what it means to be a tormented Armenian,” said Davtyan.
Asked what expectations she has of Taron Margaryan, who was recently nominated as mayor by the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, Davtyan said she doesn’t know yet what kind of mayor Margaryan will be, but she hope that he will be a good leader of the city.
Working in the same area, Mrs. Iskuhi said Karen Karapetyan did his deed and left.
“He did good for half [the people] and bad for the [other] half — let god give him what he desired for others. At this time, there is nothing that is either positive or negative. Our expectations of Taron Margaryan is that we have a little bit of hope, because he is the son of Andranik Margaryan; we hope that our situation will improve,” said Mrs. Iskuhi.
Anna Kirakosyan, who owned one of the demolished kiosks on Papazyan St., told Epress.am that she’s very glad that Karen Karapetyan resigned.
“He was not worthy of being this city’s mayor. Demolition work has been suspended at this time, but it’s hard to say how long that will last,” she said, referring to the kiosks that the former mayor moved to demolish.
On the matter of Taron Margaryan, Kirakosyan said, “I can’t say what expectations I have of him. Until he [becomes mayor], I can’t say, but we also shouldn’t forget that he was educated in the Karapetyan school.”