Former Yerevan mayor Hayk Marutyan commented on recent events in Nor Nork district, stating on Facebook that Armenia’s public and political life had been “enriched with several new shameful episodes.”

“We witnessed officials behaving like neighborhood thugs. We saw political parties not only justify such conduct but even encourage it,” he wrote.

Marutyan accused the ruling Civil Contract party of submitting to the whims and blackmail of the “pseudo-European, in fact criminally-minded Republic party” in order to hold on to power—at the cost of public welfare and the rule of law.

He linked these developments to the upcoming parliamentary elections in 2026, asserting that “a failed government and an uncompetitive parliamentary opposition have exhausted their dialogue with the public and now resort to mutual insults and scuffles.”

“Our society deserves more mature and sensible governance in this challenging period. I call on public figures to act with restraint and uphold legality and morality in their words and actions,” he concluded.

Marutyan also congratulated members of the New Force reformist party on the first anniversary of their founding congress, adding, “The future lies ahead.”

On May 30, a brawl in Nor Nork’s district administration led to criminal proceedings against four individuals. Activist Artur Chakhoyan was charged not for the violence but under a separate hooliganism article related to a yogurt-throwing incident.

The Republic party stated that the Nor Nork incident was a deliberate provocation, not targeting local leadership but rather Armenia’s independence and sovereignty, claiming civil servants are now the most vulnerable group.