Mr. Vardanik is a shame. No, surprise that USAID has exluded this city from its projects, such as the local government project, since it is useless to put money in the city, where the terror rules everything. We all have seen what happened with Gala TV. We all have seen what happened with his son. I really hope to see him one beautiful day in the prison, but not in the office of the mayor.

This is just ridiculous and criminal the way local elections being conducted. As if the people/ electorate are not of age! I hopped Serjic Sarkisjan will at least tray to hold “clean” election for local administration but I was mistaken! Speaker of parliament is being appointed by president and parliamentarians have nothing to say the same can be said about the so called “ministers” (actually businessmen) … Elections are just shows! if president is going to dissolve the parliament, Armenia can save a lot of money, money which can be given to needed people …

Nobody is forcing the electorate to vote for the Mayor of Gyumri or anyone else. If the people want to vote for a candidate in an election they can do so - it is up to them. If the people of Gyumri decide they want to vote for the incumbent Mayor, it must mean no one better has stepped forward to offer to do the job. So let us not blame the Mayor over the fact that the people have voted for him! If he is voted in again, then either he must be doing something right, or else the voters simply don't really care what name they put their thumbprint to. Which one is the true situation? Any person is free to stand up to be elected as Mayor of Gyumri, or even as President of Armenia! Doesn't Armenia have a democracy? In regard to the supplement, if it is considered to be simply an advertisement for the opposition, then this would normally be barred in any democracy where restrictions are placed on advertising just before an election. If there is any unpleasant news to be told about the Mayor or his family, then why haven't the papers given publicity to this issue during the rest of the year? Perhaps they are not really so "independent" as they claim! The opposition however do have the money and ability to produce a newspaper or leaflets which can be delivered to people in Gyumri, so why don't they do that? Could it be that the people of Gyumri actually prefer their existing Mayor to some unknown candidate?

Losing advertisers is not big deal compared with losing their lives. This is Armenian reality.