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EXPERT: DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS IN NKR NECESSARY, FIRST OF ALL, TO KARABAKH PEOPLE
arminfo
Thursday, July 19, 13:05
Democratic elections in NKR necessary, first of all, to the Karabakh
people, Masis Mailyan, Head of the Public Council for Foreign Policy
and Security of NKR told ArmInfo. The fifth in succession presidential
election started at 8:00am today on July 19 in the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic. Three candidates are running for the Karabakh president -
the incumbent president Bako Sahakyan, deputy of the parliament
Vitaliy Balasanyan, and pro-rector of the Stepanakert branch of
Armenia's Agrarian University Arkadiy Sogomonyan. Mailyan believes that
alongside with comfortable life in the democratic country, democratic
elections will become additional argument in favor of the international
recognition of NKR. Democracy carries out two functions for Karabakh:
political and foreign political. "A democratic country cannot be
subdued to a sultanate like Azerbaijan," the expert said. He is sure
that elections are not enough for building a democratic country,
but elections are an important part of democracy. "Official Baku's
statement that elections may negatively affect the negotiations
for peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict is a very weak
argument. Undertaking mediation efforts on March 24 1992 the OSCE
Minsk Group officially mentioned in its documents that negotiations
must be held with the elected authorities of Karabakh. Another matter
that the government in place uses the factor of possible resumption of
military actions to retain its positions at the power structures. It is
like an endless circle: democracy without resolution of the conflict
is impossible like international recognition is impossible without
democracy. We need to get out of that endless circle," Mailyan
said. Such efforts are currently being made in NKR, he said. There
is an alternative candidate to the incumbent president. There was
an open fight between them, which is already victory, as alternative
election is a very important element of democratic development. "If the
alternative candidate for president Vitaly Balasanyan is elected, the
country will change and we will speak of bigger victory. Balasanyan's
program consists of many useful suggestions related to internal and
external reforms, and security provision. When in 2007 the oppositional
forces supported the single candidate, opposition field disappeared
from the country, which hindered development of the country. In
addition, Freedom House lowered NKR's rating registering it among
non-free countries after 2010, while previously NKR was considered a
partly free country. Thus, NKR has found itself on the same position
with Azerbaijan, which is not a hopeful sign. Therefore, democratic
elections will, undoubtedly, change the given situation," Mailyan
said for conclusion.
arminfo
Thursday, July 19, 13:05
Democratic elections in NKR necessary, first of all, to the Karabakh
people, Masis Mailyan, Head of the Public Council for Foreign Policy
and Security of NKR told ArmInfo. The fifth in succession presidential
election started at 8:00am today on July 19 in the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic. Three candidates are running for the Karabakh president -
the incumbent president Bako Sahakyan, deputy of the parliament
Vitaliy Balasanyan, and pro-rector of the Stepanakert branch of
Armenia's Agrarian University Arkadiy Sogomonyan. Mailyan believes that
alongside with comfortable life in the democratic country, democratic
elections will become additional argument in favor of the international
recognition of NKR. Democracy carries out two functions for Karabakh:
political and foreign political. "A democratic country cannot be
subdued to a sultanate like Azerbaijan," the expert said. He is sure
that elections are not enough for building a democratic country,
but elections are an important part of democracy. "Official Baku's
statement that elections may negatively affect the negotiations
for peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict is a very weak
argument. Undertaking mediation efforts on March 24 1992 the OSCE
Minsk Group officially mentioned in its documents that negotiations
must be held with the elected authorities of Karabakh. Another matter
that the government in place uses the factor of possible resumption of
military actions to retain its positions at the power structures. It is
like an endless circle: democracy without resolution of the conflict
is impossible like international recognition is impossible without
democracy. We need to get out of that endless circle," Mailyan
said. Such efforts are currently being made in NKR, he said. There
is an alternative candidate to the incumbent president. There was
an open fight between them, which is already victory, as alternative
election is a very important element of democratic development. "If the
alternative candidate for president Vitaly Balasanyan is elected, the
country will change and we will speak of bigger victory. Balasanyan's
program consists of many useful suggestions related to internal and
external reforms, and security provision. When in 2007 the oppositional
forces supported the single candidate, opposition field disappeared
from the country, which hindered development of the country. In
addition, Freedom House lowered NKR's rating registering it among
non-free countries after 2010, while previously NKR was considered a
partly free country. Thus, NKR has found itself on the same position
with Azerbaijan, which is not a hopeful sign. Therefore, democratic
elections will, undoubtedly, change the given situation," Mailyan
said for conclusion.