The Civilitas Foundation will convene a debate between party representatives running for the Yerevan municipal council in order to promote a genuine political race and to fully cover the elections. The debate will take place on April 30th, 2pm at Moscow Cinema.
Municipal elections in Armenia are normally given less attention by the public and mass media than parliamentary or presidential elections, even though it is local decisions that directly affect citizens’ everyday lives. Because all mayors of Yerevan have been members of the ruling party at the time and have governed on the basis of being accountable to that party, not to voters, most citizens are only vaguely aware of the scope and capacity of the municipal body’s powers.
As a result of poor or inconsistent media coverage of the municipal elections — which have been generally personalized and divorced from processes or policies — there has been little public knowledge about the prerequisites for becoming a member of a municipal council, about candidates’ familiarity with issues and responsibilities, or about citizens’ own rights and responsibilities. This too, compounds the general public apathy and the notion that elections are predetermined, and so individual votes make no difference to the outcome.
The Civilitas Foundation attaches great importance to the comprehensive discussion of programs and policies in the public sector before they are adopted. Informative, consultative, public discussions and debates are one of the most important aspects of democracy.
We invite Yerevan voters to participate in this debate and take advantage of the chance to interact directly with the candidates and pose questions.
The event is supported by the USAID and Counterpart International’s office in Armenia.