Vardan Ghoukasyan, the Mayor of Gyumri, has started a petition drive to have Bishop Mikayel Ajapahyan, the Primate of Shirak, removed from office. Reports indicate that as of yesterday Mayor Ghoukasyan issued a directive to all Municipal office employees to sign the petition. The Mayor has publicly denied that he is behind the petition.

Charges and counter charges between the two men have been flying as of late. Recently, Bishop Ajapahyan has publicly criticized the Mayor for holding the residents of the town as ‘hostages’ for unilaterally selling church property and for engaging in false piety. For his part the Mayor has criticized Bishop Ajapahyan for not possessing the demeanor of a clergyman and for being money hungry.

Several notables of Gyumri have condemned the actions of the Mayor and have promised to start a petition drive against him if he doesn’t halt the actions taken against the beloved Bishop.