Pashinyan’s Government Seeks Control of Gyumri, Issues Arrest Warrant for Former Mayor Who Controls Local Council Majority

Law enforcement in Armenia has issued an arrest warrant for Samvel Balasanyan, the former mayor of Gyumri, for allegations of corruption and abuse of power. This comes nearly a year after the ruling Civil Contract party withdrew from a power-sharing agreement with Balasanyan's political team, which continues to influence Armenia's second-largest city.

Balasanyan, who served as mayor from 2012 to 2021, is facing charges related to the illegal privatization of municipal land by his family in 2014. The Investigative Committee of Armenia, which is leading the case, has accused him of abuse of power and money laundering. Samvel Balasanyan becomes the fifth person to be indicted in connection to the case, joining his younger son, Khachatur Balasanyan, and Gyumri’s Deputy Mayor, Suren Janoyan, among the suspects.

Both Khachatur and Janoyan are currently under house arrest. Khachatur Balasanyan was detained last week at Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport as he attempted to board a flight to the United States, where his father is reportedly receiving medical treatment. Authorities are now seeking to apprehend the elder Balasanyan, and the Armenian police have been instructed to track him down.

The case against Balasanyan comes after a power struggle in Gyumri between the Balasanyan Bloc and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party. In the 2021 municipal elections, the Balasanyan Bloc won the most votes but did not secure a majority in the city council. They formed a coalition with Civil Contract, installing Vardges Samsonyan, a relative of Balasanyan, as the new mayor. In return, two Civil Contract members were appointed as deputy mayors.

However, in December 2022, Civil Contract unexpectedly withdrew from the power-sharing arrangement, accusing the Balasanyan Bloc of “shady governance.” The party implied that Samvel Balasanyan continued to wield undue influence over city affairs despite no longer holding official office. This led to the resignation of the two deputy mayors from Civil Contract, marking the end of the coalition government in Gyumri.

Civil Contract has since openly expressed its desire to take control of Gyumri’s municipal administration. Although the ruling party holds only 11 of the 33 seats in the city council—compared to 14 seats held by the Balasanyan Bloc—Civil Contract has been seeking ways to challenge the current political balance in the city. The party's Gyumri chapter leader, Karen Sarukhanyan, has dismissed allegations that the legal actions against Balasanyan and his associates are part of a broader strategy to seize control of the city. Sarukhanyan argued that the charges were based on legitimate concerns and were not politically motivated.

Gyumri, Armenia’s second-largest city, has been at the center of political disputes for some time. The Balasanyan family has held significant influence in the city, even after Samvel Balasanyan stepped down as mayor. His departure from office did not end the political presence of his bloc, which continues to maintain a majority in the local council.

This recent arrest warrant against Balasanyan mirrors events in Armenia’s third-largest city, Vanadzor, where Civil Contract gained control in 2022 after a protracted legal battle. The party had lost the 2021 local elections to Mamikon Aslanyan, who was subsequently arrested on corruption charges. He was released on bail in 2023, but the arrest effectively allowed Civil Contract to assert control over Vanadzor’s local administration.

As the case against Samvel Balasanyan unfolds, many of his political allies have remained silent. Gyumri’s current mayor, Vardges Samsonyan, and other figures in the Balasanyan Bloc have not commented on the charges. Likewise, a lawyer for the Balasanyan family declined to speak on the matter.

With the arrest warrant now in place, it remains unclear what impact this will have on Gyumri’s political landscape. Civil Contract's continued efforts to strengthen its position in key cities like Gyumri and Vanadzor reflect its broader ambitions to consolidate power across Armenia.