The ousted oppositionists include former Mayor Hayk Marutian, whose party finished second in last September’s municipal election, and two councilors representing the radical opposition Mayr Hayastan alliance.
Civil Contract and its local coalition partner, the Hanrapetutyun party, argue that they can no longer sit on the city council because of having skipped most of the council sessions and votes. The opposition forces dismiss the explanation, saying that their absence was part of legitimate boycotts designed to scuttle key decisions made by Mayor Tigran Avinian.
“Why did you not oust dozens of your teammates from the previous council who did not attend sessions for years? Because they didn’t challenge you,” Marutian told Avinian and his political allies during a heated session preceding a vote on their seats.
“You are removing us because we are fighting against you and demanding your resignation,” charged Marutian.
“If you don’t attend and speak during sessions why would we want to silence you?” countered Suren Grigorian, a deputy mayor affiliated with Civil Contract.
Council members from Mayr Hayastan boycotted the session in protest against what they too described as a government bid to silence the opposition. The bloc’s leader, Andranik Tevanian, called for a fresh municipal ballot on Tuesday.
Civil Contract and Hanrapetutyun lacked a single vote to oust the oppositionists and they predictably secured it from the Public Voice party that was until recently led by Vartan Ghukasian, a controversial video blogger based in the United States.
Two Public Voice councilors showed up for the session and voted for the ouster of the oppositionists. One of them, Vahan Avagian, admitted that they were summoned to the Investigative Committee on Tuesday.
“I won’t say why because it’s confidential information,” Avagian told reporters. He denied opposition claims that he was pressured to back the ruling party’s latest initiative.
Public Voice, which campaigned for the September polls on an opposition platform, already decisively helped Civil Contract install Avinian as mayor last October. Its nominal chairman, Artak Galstian was arrested last year on charges of blackmail and extortion and remains in custody. Ghukasian is wanted by law-enforcement authorities on the same charges.