Epress.am News from Armenia
Campaigning for local municipal elections kicked off in several communities across Armenia today with election day on Feb. 12.
In the northeastern Armenian city of Hrazdan, in the mayoral race are two members of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, current mayor Aram Danielyan and his advisor Hovhannes Prtavyan, as well as independent candidate Sasun Mikaelyan (a member of the opposition bloc the Armenian National Congress, pictured).
Last night it was decided that Mikaelyan’s campaign would be managed by Hakob Avagumyan, a friend of the former MP’s.
This news was conveyed to Epress.am by Mesrop Mesropyan, the person responsible for press and campaign issues at Mikaelyan’s campaign headquarters.
Mikaelyan’s first public gathering will take place in Hrazdan’s Mikroshrjan (“micro-region”) district at 5 pm today, Mesropyan added.
“Our campaign booklets are ready; we’ve also prepared a documentary film, which refers to Sasun Mikaelyan’s history of combat, the period when he was in parliament, and his arrest. We will distribute this film to residents,” he said.
Mesropyan also stated that in the precinct commissions, the Prosperous Armenia party (BHK) ceded some seats to the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK). As an example he cited head of the culture department at Hrazdan City Hall Anahit Nazaryan, who isn’t a BHK member, but is included in the list of BHK commission members.
Mikaelyan’s spokesperson didn’t rule out the possibility that soon instead of Rule of Law (Orinats Yerkir, or OEK) members, other Hrazdan City Hall employees will be appearing in the commission.
Note, Epress.am attempted to contact Hrazdan mayor Aram Danielyan on several occasions, but deputy mayor Mihran Mikaelyan said the mayor is on vacation and he cannot respond to queries from the press on his behalf. At Danielyan’s campaign headquarters, Epress.am was told Danielyan rarely comes in to the campaign headquarters office. In both cases, Epress.am was told they were unable to offer assistance to locate the mayor.