YEREVAN. – Hraparak newspaper of writes: A new scandal may emerge around Mayor [of Yerevan] Hayk Marutyan. Opposition members of the [Yerevan] Council of Elders have long been trying to figure out whether Hayk Marutyan was a dual citizen at the time he was elected mayor, or did he manage to renounce Czech citizenship.

The point is that under Czech law, until 2011, only persons who were considered Czech nationals could obtain real estate in the country. "There is a lot of property in the Czech Republic under Hayk’s name, which means he was a Czech citizen," said an opposition member of the Council of Elders.

And why don't you send in a request? “The Czech Republic does not provide any information on that. We have not yet been able to find out the maiden surname of Hayk Marutyan's wife, Iva, but we have information that her father is a fairly well-respected [George] Soros supporter in the Czech Republic."

In response to our questions, the spokesman for the [Yerevan] city hall said: "We are not the addressees of citizenship; it is the CEC. As for Ms. Iva, we do not comment on gossip." And if that turns out to be a fact, from whom should we find out? "December 25 is a Council of Elders meeting; you can ask Hayk Marutyan personally."

By the way, our Council of Elders’ source on CEC said: “The CEC had no leverage to check. Marutyan has become mayor by law, has been on the Council of Elders’ list, a Council of Elders’ member can be a dual citizen; it is not banned, whereas the mayor—no. When Marutyan is asked this question, he never gives a straight answer.”