Hunan Poghosian, a recently appointed governor of one of Armenia’s most crime-ridden provinces, has promised to ensure the holding of “unprecedented elections” in Syunik next month.
Poghosian served as first deputy chief of police during most of former President Serzh Sarkisian’s decade-long rule and resigned immediately after the change of government brought about by peaceful demonstrations in April-May.
Nikol Pashinian, the leader of the demonstrations who ousted Sarkisian to become Armenia’s next, prime minister, appointed Poghosian as Syunik’s governor in October.
The appointment prompted criticism from some human rights activists and even some Pashinian supporters, who accused the police general of corruption and human rights abuses during the previous administration.
Pashinian, however, repeatedly defended his decision, alleging “attempts to restore the old oligarchic logic” in Syunik. “The mountainous region bordering Iran should therefore be governed by a tough security officer who can bang his fist on the table and maintain law and order, protect civil liberties and guarantee free enterprise,” he said at an October 19 rally in Kapan ahead of local mayoral elections.
The candidate from Pashinian’s Civil Contract party was narrowly defeated in the subsequent vote, with the prime minister blaming “criminal forces” for the election loss.
Poghosian, who unlike other provincial governors who are members of Pashinian’s political team, is not going to run in individual races in the December 9 snap parliamentary elections, said his job was to ensure a proper conduct of the polls in the province notorious for electoral violations.
“There must be legitimate, transparent and, in all senses, unprecedented elections in which any eligible voter will have the opportunity to go to the polls and vote for the party and candidate he or she prefers,” the Syunik governor told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on Friday.
Poghosian said he was never a party member and was not going to become one. “I will be of use here by ensuring that the law is observed,” he stressed.
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