Arcadi Peleshyan Appointed as Interim Mayor of Vanadzor

The newspaper "Hraparak" reports that "in the coming days, by the decision of Nikol Pashinyan, Arcadi Peleshyan, known as Akan, will be appointed as the interim mayor of Vanadzor. He was the deputy of Mamikon Aslanyan for the past five years. Peleshyan led the list of the Workers' Socialist Party of Armenia in the municipal elections, securing 5 mandates.

Peleshyan is known for being involved in various scandals, including a conviction for hooliganism in 2008 (according to the verdict, while under the influence of alcohol, he went to a shop with friends, argued with the staff, shouted insults, and damaged products in the store). A few years prior, he was also reported to have assaulted the spiritual leader of the Evangelical Church.

It is worth noting that since last December, due to the government's persistent efforts, Vanadzor has been without a leader. During the elections, the ruling party faced a significant defeat, and unable to cope with this loss, they took Mamikon Aslanyan, the leader of the winning force 'Mamikon Aslanyan Alliance', hostage, keeping him in detention for more than four months. Recently, this detention was extended by two months.

With the support of the Prosperous Armenia Party through the Court of Law, they imposed a restriction on the sessions of the city council until June 20, and adopted a special law allowing for the appointment of an interim mayor in an elective office.