YEREVAN. – During Sunday’s local referendum held in several communities in Armenia, some communities have voted against the merger—that is, enlargement—of a number of communities.

Armenian News-NEWS.am has learned from the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), however, that all communities in the Syunik Province supported the merger. 

CEC Secretary Armen Smbatyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am that this local plebiscite is a survey-referendum which has no legal obligation.  

“We will present the results to the government. (…) [These] are just data. The government will decide whether or not these results are enough to come up with [respective] legislative initiatives,” Smbatyan said. “The rest is at the discretion of their power.”