Yuri Vardanyan poor roads among Yerevan city’s gravest problems

YEREVAN, April 17. /ARKA/. Yuri Vardanyan, a glorious Armenian weightlifter, Olympic champion and 43-time world record-breaker, speaking Wednesday at a news conference, pointed out poor roads as one of the gravest problems of Yerevan. 

“I view this problem solution among the capital city’s top-priority objectives,” he said. “I lived in the United States a good while, I has been in some 120 countries and I wish the capital of my homeland to use the best experience of European cities.”

He said that this problem is being gradually solved in the last four years, but there is still plenty to do.

“I have talked to Mayor Taron Margaryan many times, and I think he makes every effort to solve the city’s problems,” he added. “I can say that there are so many troubles here that even if the best mayor of Europe takes the Yerevan mayor office, he will be not able to put thing right, because of the lack of money.” 

Vardanyan also singled out a poor organization of condominiums as another problem waiting for its solution. 

The sportsman said that some progress is already seen here and the program worked out by the Republican Party of Armenia is the most feasible among programs in the upcoming city council elections. 

“I think Margaryan has experience and will be able to implement the program, if reelected,” he said. 

The voting in the city council elections is scheduled for May 5.

The city council, consisting of 65 members, elects the city mayor. Under the law, candidates for the mayoral seat are nominated by the council’s factions. The elections are contested by Arakelutyun (Mission), Prosperous Armenia, the Armenian National Congress, Orinats Yerkir, the Republican Party of Armenia, Armenian Revolutionary Federation/ Dashnaktsutiun parties and Barev Yerevan bloc.  -0-