YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: The matter of holding snap elections in Yerevan by the end of the year is being discussed behind the scenes of power.

The other day we had written that a new draft law has been put into circulation, which will enable the council of elders to make a decision to dissolve itself.

This hurriedness has several explanations: Time does not speak in their [i.e., the Armenian authorities] favor, they do not want to go to the regular elections so that the opposition does not have time to prepare.

In addition, they cannot stretch external processes—such as the signing of a peace treaty [with Azerbaijan]—too much, whereas the signing of any document will reduce the [approval] rating of the authorities.

Although the authorities hope that [ex-deputy PM] Tigran Avinyan is one of the [Yerevan mayoral] candidates least associated with the [ruling] CC [(Civil Contract Party)], his topping the [ruling force’s electoral] list for the Yerevan Council of Elders will reduce the likelihood of defeat [in the planned Yerevan elections].