YEREVAN – The Yerevan Council of Elders witnessed a tense exchange today as Mayor Tigran Avinyan responded forcefully to corruption allegations leveled against him by opposition members.
During the session, council member Pedro Zarukyan accused the mayor of bypassing standard procedures for advertising placements and referenced a luxury property on Lake Sevan allegedly belonging to Avinyan’s family, which he described as a “castle” with numerous amenities.
The opposition member further questioned construction contracts, particularly focusing on the Albert Azaryan sports school project, suggesting improper procurement practices.
In his rebuttal, Mayor Avinyan defended the procurement process, stating that multiple companies typically participate in such contracts. He emphasized that the sports school construction was a government-mandated project with a tight deadline due to upcoming international sporting events.
Addressing personal wealth allegations, Avinyan revealed that he had declared substantial income as early as 2017, before entering public office. “You can label anything as corruption,” the mayor stated, “even calling a single-story house a castle.” He challenged his accusers to instead examine what he characterized as clearer examples of corruption in other cases.
The mayor’s response highlighted ongoing tensions between the municipal administration and opposition factions regarding transparency and governance standards.
