I Have Not Left the 'My Step' Alliance: Hayk Marutyan

Today, a process is taking place that has never occurred in the history of Yerevan. This was stated by Mayor Hayk Marutyan while discussing his impeachment issue.

This is the first time that a city mayor has faced a vote of no confidence, and it seems that the initiators need to have very substantial arguments against the mayor, such as large-scale embezzlement of budget funds, or some other horrendous crimes in work or everyday life. However, as we understood from the speeches, such evidence does not exist. The main reason presented is completely different. As the initiative group states, since I have left the CC party, I must also leave this position,” Marutyan said.

He recalled the revolution and the first elections that took place after it, resulting in only 27 out of the initially elected 57 members of the council being from the CC party.

“That is, the majority of the faction – 30 council members were independents or members of other parties. I think this is a very significant figure that reflects the real political balance after the revolution. As a result of the elections, we had a very convincing victory,” Marutyan stated.

He emphasized that during those elections, people did not go to vote under the CC party’s banner not because the revolution was made by the people, but because the name of the CC party was virtually unknown to the broad masses at that time.

“Let’s record that during the 2018 Yerevan mayoral elections, if we disregard personalities, the people elected the ‘My Step’ revolutionary alliance. Today, the initiative group states as a basis for no-confidence, that since I have left the CC, they emphasize that I have left the ‘My Step’ alliance, and therefore I cannot be the mayor. I officially state that I have left the CC party, but I have not left the ‘My Step’ alliance; I continue to be a member of the ‘My Step’ faction, and the claim of the initiative group is simply false. Moreover, by mentioning the name of the CC party in their arguments, these people are trying to monopolize the revolution, attempting to make the CC party the sole bearer and successor of the revolutionary values. This is unacceptable to me and to thousands of people like me who are not party members and have only dreamed of a better Armenia through revolution,” Marutyan said.

He added that the ultimate goal of revolutionaries should be to improve the lives of others, but in reality, they came and started improving their own lives.