Opposition sees Gyumri, Parakar results as symbolic shift

PanARMENIAN.Net - Public and political figure Naira Zohrabyan, commenting on the preliminary results of the local elections in Gyumri and Parakar, emphasized on her Facebook page that the people's victory could help erase the dividing lines that have formed within society.

“It feels like Hayk has once again defeated Bel, like the Armenian has triumphed over the Turk.

Yesterday, in Parakar, the Country to Live party crushed Nikol's party. In Gyumri, despite blatant use of administrative resources, intimidation, kidnapping, and allegedly registering voters from Javakheti, Nikol’s candidate Sarik will not become mayor.

By the way, the votes Sarik received in Gyumri have nothing to do with Civil Contract. Those are solely Sarik’s votes, plus the savage, enraged use of administrative resources,” Zohrabyan wrote.

She argued that even if Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attempts to replicate the Vanadzor strategy—through public declarations, threats, potential abductions of opposition council members, or the arrest of Vardan Ghukasyan—it will not change the outcome, as he has already lost.

“He is defeated, because the joy, the euphoria with which people were congratulating each other in Parakar and Gyumri only happens when the Armenian beats their genetic enemy, the one who destroyed their home, stole their future, killed their children. For me, sincerely, the most important part was this victory of dignity, the victory of restored hope. It truly felt like Hayk had beaten Bel once again—like the Armenian had defeated the Turk. That’s the kind of joy people only feel after defeating a real enemy, after defeating someone who sold their homeland to the Turks,” she added.

Zohrabyan stressed that the people’s victory might begin to erase the divisions that the ruling regime’s policies have deepened over the years.

“What was even more important is that the hatred brought by Nikol—the addiction he placed society under since 2018, setting father against son and tearing homes apart—is now being defeated. The victory over Nikol and Nikolism is beginning to heal public animosity. Because victory over an enemy—and Nikol is an enemy—unites people,” she wrote.

Zohrabyan concluded by noting that Pashinyan may continue to issue public statements presenting himself as a model of democracy, but it will not change the fact that he has been defeated.

Country to Live party leader Mane Tandilyan, commenting on the party’s victory in Parakar’s local council elections, wrote on Facebook that their team, led by Vоlodya Grigoryan, won 57% of the vote.

“Let this mark the beginning of a period to finally liberate our homeland from the Civil Contract,” she stated.

*According to preliminary results from Armenia’s Central Electoral Commission, no single force secured a majority in Gyumri’s March 30 snap local elections. Political coalitions will be necessary to elect the community leader. If opposition forces unite, Gyumri could see an opposition mayor.

In Parakar, four political forces participated: Civil Contract (Ludvig Gyulnazaryan), Unity alliance (Volodya Grigoryan), National Progress (David Minasyan), and Stability (Gor Saribekyan). The leading force is the Unity alliance, of which the “Country to Live” party is a part, announcing the victory of its candidate Volodya Grigoryan.*