Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan finds himself embroiled in yet another controversy, this time due to inflammatory remarks made by his father, Armen Avinyan. In a statement to Oragir.news, the elder Avinyan insulted owners of inexpensive cars, suggesting they should be barred from parking in the Armenian capital’s streets.
“They should make it 500,000 drams so that every scumbag cannot park his village Opel here,” said Armen Avinyan, referencing the city’s dramatic increase in parking fees.
Last year, Yerevan’s municipal council raised parking fees in the city center from a modest 12,000 drams to 160,000 drams ($400) annually, sparking public discontent. Armen Avinyan’s remarks have only deepened the backlash, further damaging the mayor’s standing.
In a swift response, Tigran Avinyan publicly apologized for his father’s “rude and ugly” comments, attributing them to frustration and irritation.
“I’m sure those answers were given under the influence of nerves, [traffic] congestion, and maybe also annoyance by the journalist,” the mayor said in a video statement.
Despite the apology, many Yerevan residents expressed outrage. “Who do he and his father think they are?” one citizen demanded. Another added, “Who gave him the right to offend Opel drivers?” referencing the popular second-hand German cars often driven by lower-income Armenians.
Some dismissed the apology outright, with one resident saying: “Who needs a painted egg after Easter?”
Avinyan’s political rivals have been quick to capitalize on the scandal. Former Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan suggested the comments reveal a deeper problem.
“This is not accidental,” Marutyan said. “This is, unfortunately, the worldview, mindset, and attitude of individuals holding the most important positions in our country towards the people who have given them power. And no apology can fix this situation.”
The timing of this scandal couldn’t be worse for Avinyan, who is still reeling from revelations about his extravagant $19,500 air ticket for a recent trip to the United States. Following public outcry, the mayor pledged to personally reimburse the municipality for the expense.
Adding fuel to the fire, investigative reporting by CivilNet.am and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) has scrutinized business dealings linked to Avinyan’s family. These reports allege that his rise in politics coincided with the prosperity of family enterprises, including an agribusiness firm that benefited from government contracts and subsidies during his tenure as deputy prime minister.
Although Avinyan has dismissed the allegations as false and has sued one media outlet for defamation, the controversies surrounding him continue to mount. His father’s incendiary remarks have only reinforced criticisms that Armenia’s ruling elite is disconnected from the struggles of ordinary citizens.
