The opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) alliance and the Heritage Party haven't put forth candidates in the Vanadzor mayoral election and are not backing any of the other parties' candidates. Meanwhile, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun, or ARF-D) is participating in the upcoming election and, as surprising as this might be, is backing the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) candidate, incumbent Samvel Darbinyan. ARF-D Supreme Council member Hovhannes Tadevosyan announced this news during Darbinyan's campaign rally.

 

"The ARF-D, being in the opposition, at the same couldn't remain indifferent to such a serious process as the election of the mayor," said Tadevosyan, adding that it was the ARF-D's Vanadzor committee that made the decision to back the HHK candidate. 

 

Rule of Law (Orinats Yerkir, or OEK) party's Lori regional branch secretary Karen Davtyan made a similar announcement. "Our party, as a political power that's been given a significant role in the country, is obliged to express its political position in the local self-government elections," said Davtyan, likewise declaring that OEK will be backing the incumbent mayor.

 

OEK notes as the basis for its decision the fact that Darbinyan represents the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, which is OEK's coalition partner. Meanwhile, the ARF-D has not provided any political explanation for its decision.