A group of residents of Armenia’s Norashen village on Tuesday assembled outside the Ararat provincial hall, and demanded to annul the decision to appoint Artak Harutyunyan acting mayor of Norashen and to bring back now former mayor Norayr Grigoryan.

Tension ensued outside the provincial hall building when supporters of the governor of Ararat and of Harutyunyan also arrived there, and, subsequently, the adherents of Grigoryan and Harutyunyan clashed.

Artak Harutyunyan was also involved in the scuffle.

Police detained several people, including Harutyunyan.

According to the records of the Norashen Council of Elders, Norayr Grigoryan’s powers as village mayor have been terminated. His supporters, however, are protesting and saying this decision is unlawful.

These protesters, led by Grigoryan himself, demand the submission  of these records, on the basis of which the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure has terminated Grigoryan’s powers as mayor of Norashen.

Norayr Grigoryan has stated that his relations with the governor of Ararat Province had strained when during local elections he supported another candidate, who was also elected an MP from the majority My Step faction in parliament.