Vardges Samsonyan named new mayor of Gyumri
The City Council of the Gyumri community voted 24 to 8 to elect Vardges Samsonyan new Mayor of Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city, on Monday.
Samsonyan had been nominated for the post by the Balasanyan bloc and the ruling Civil Contract party, which teamed up on Saturday to install the new mayor.
The Zartonk (Awakening), Republican Party and Aprelu Yerkir (Country to Live) factions of the City Council voted against him.
The Balasanyan alliance garnered 36.6% of the vote, winning 14 seats of the City Council in the October 17 local elections. Civil Contract finished second with 11 seats.
The remaining eight seats are distributed among the three other opposition parties – Zartonk, the Republican Party of Armenia and Aprelu Yerkir.