Iravaban.net has talked to Viktor Yengibaryan, a member of the “Bright Armenia” Party, who has become a member of Yerevan Council of Elders from the “Yelk” Alliance.
Mr. Yengibaryan, when speaking at the last sitting of the Yerevan Council of Elders, you described the council as a structure that is in “captivity” and you consider important the issue of the equality of the members of the council. Please clarify what you meant.
-The majority of members of Yerevan Council of Elders are apolitical persons, cultural figures, intellectuals, entrepreneurs. They are included in the Council of Elders by the RPA list, but do not represent that party and its interests. Being in that faction, they are forced to execute the instructions of the current mayor. It is also remarkable that the political debate is almost missing in the council. On the other hand, despite the fact that the mayor is one of the members of the council, the sittings are held in an absolutely unequal atmosphere. It seems like the mayor had elected the Council and its members and not vice versa.
There is a great deal of work here, as the actual state has created an institution, spends money, but its efficiency factor is very low for the state.
– Often we hear rumors about Mayor Taron Margaryan’s resignation, the City Hall refutes what would you say about it.
“According to our information, the mayor has already resigned, but there was no official resignation yet. On the other hand, there is no Taron Margaryan’s public presence. According to my information, he also does not come to work, as a result of which the city administration units are in fact inactive. This is a very irresponsible behavior as taxpayers are wasting money. Such anomalous situations in management are the most dangerous, they contain serious corruption risks and disrupt the normal functioning of the staff.
– What do you intend to do in case of Taron Margaryan’s resignation? Do you have a candidate for mayor? Is “Yelk” ready to bear responsibility?
– I think our team-members have shown that our political team does not intend to avoid responsibility. When we said we were ready to take over responsibility for change of power, we meant the local level as well. On the other hand, our team has enough intellectual and human resources to keep Yerevan not only at the same level, but also to develop it. And Yerevan is not an ordinary city, this is also a fundamental political issue.
– Do you think that Yerevan is waiting for the solution of urgent problems?
– The main and most urgent issue is to solve the problem of Yerevan transport. This is probably the biggest disgrace of our city, but at the same time it can be solved within months.
The second issue has a strategic and long-term significance. Yerevan needs three times more green areas. “Yelk’s” program includes a provision promising to create a city forest. During my stay in the United States, I have had meetings with influential circles with whom I obtained a preliminary consensus to finance the urban forest. This, in fact, is also a security issue for possible flood prevention, of course, for air pollution and for the health of the citizens.
The third important issue is the problem of social solidarity. When we enter any yard in Yerevan, we see absolute lack of solidarity. One person can capture the territory and thus “victimize” hundreds of other citizens. This is unacceptable and has a need for a quick solution, it is important to eliminate corruption, ideological propaganda and involvement of citizens in solving problems.
All the other issues, such as condominium status, infrastructure, waste disposal, polyclinics, etc., need effective and, most importantly, the need for unbiased management.
In the end, I would like to highlight the city of Yerevan, as a foreign political actor. Effective co-operation with member states of the European Union and major cities in other countries can be a major measure for attracting investments, exchange programs and developing policies. This is perhaps the field where almost nothing has been done.
