The 43-percent voter turnout at Sunday’s snap election for the capital city Yerevan Council of Elders is much discussed now. Many are saying, “See, more than half of Yerevan residents didn’t take part in the elections,” and they are making political conclusions from that.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Tuesday stated about the aforesaid during his Facebook livestream. In his words, however, such arguments are ludicrous, to put it mildly.

“First, fewer people took part in the Yerevan Council of Elder’s elections that were held last year; under conditions when people were basically forcedly detained to the election precinct—with GAZelles [vans], administrative levers, election bribe, “ Pashinyan stressed. “Second, you know that our electoral rolls don’t reflect the real picture that exists because many of our compatriots who have left the Republic of Armenia—even 20-25 years ago—continue to be on the electoral rolls.

“Third, in election-bribe elections, bedridden, elderly people are brought—under degrading conditions—to election precincts to vote; but this time no one was forced to go to [election] precincts and vote.

“The result of these elections and the mandate given by the citizens can’t be subjected to any doubts.”

According to the preliminary results of Sunday’s snap election for the Yerevan municipal council, Pashinyan-supported My Step bloc garnered the most votes with 81.06 percent, the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) came in second with 6.95 percent, and the Luys (Light) bloc was third with 4.99 percent.

As a result, these three political forces will make up the next Yerevan Council of Elders. Accordingly, 57 of the 65 council seats will be allocated to the My Step bloc, the PAP will get 5 seats, and the Luys bloc—3 seats.