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ETHNIC-ARMENIAN SELF-DECLARED REPUBLIC NAGORNO-KARABAKH HOLDS LOCAL ELECTIONS
by Lilit Gevorgyan
Global Insight
September 28, 2011
Last week the ethnic Armenian self-declared Republic
of Nagorno-Karabakh held local elections for over 200 rural
communities and the capital Stepanakert. According to the Central
Election Commission, 59% of the 93,000 eligible voters took part in
the elections. Given lack of any major divisions between the rival
political parties and generally low level of internal security threat,
the elections were peaceful with no incidents or protests.
President Bako Sahakyan, elected in 2007, stated to Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty that "elections have become part of life"
in Nagorno-Karabakh, adding that it was encouraging to see that
the vote took place in a calm environment. The key race was for
mayor of Stepanakert, which went to Suren Grigoryan backed by the
government after he managed to secure 62.5% of the vote, while the
losing candidates have not challenged the results. One of them, Marat
Hasratyan, who is also an MP, agreed that the elections were conducted
properly. However, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry condemned the vote as
illegitimate in a statement issued after the elections. Baku called
the vote staged to conceal Armenian "occupation of Azerbaijan's
internationally recognized territories". In response, Vasili
Atajanyan, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson for Nagorno-Karabakh
which unilaterally seceded from Soviet Azerbaijan back in 1988,
dismissed Azerbaijan's response. He said the autonomous republic "is
showing the world that we have created a truly democratic state,"
unlike Azerbaijan, which he called a "hereditary sultanate" where
voters do not have voice.
Significance:The local elections in Nagorno-Karabakh indicate
that there is general consensus among the political parties in
the mainly ethnic Armenian region. Although some foreign election
monitors observed the vote, due to lack of international recognition
international election watchdogs were absent--hence it is difficult
to independently verify the quality of the vote. Nagorno-Karabakh
has seen a series of parliamentary, presidential and local elections
throughout itsde factoindependence in the past two decades. While
the region undoubtedly carries political influence from the parties
functioning in Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh has developed its own parties
which often disagree with the political decisions of Yerevan.
Furthermore, some of its politicians have not shied from openly
disputing some elements of the Armenian position on the final status
of Nagorno-Karabakh. The region, aside from the existential threat
from Azerbaijan, faces a handful of issues including corruption
and economic growth issues. Its leadership also realises that in
the face of increased threat of war with Baku, domestic political
unity is important. The ability to consistently uphold--albeit
imperfect--democratic traditions is also important political currency
for Nagorno-Karabakh, which is vying to gain international recognition
of its independence 20 years after its declaration.
by Lilit Gevorgyan
Global Insight
September 28, 2011
Last week the ethnic Armenian self-declared Republic
of Nagorno-Karabakh held local elections for over 200 rural
communities and the capital Stepanakert. According to the Central
Election Commission, 59% of the 93,000 eligible voters took part in
the elections. Given lack of any major divisions between the rival
political parties and generally low level of internal security threat,
the elections were peaceful with no incidents or protests.
President Bako Sahakyan, elected in 2007, stated to Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty that "elections have become part of life"
in Nagorno-Karabakh, adding that it was encouraging to see that
the vote took place in a calm environment. The key race was for
mayor of Stepanakert, which went to Suren Grigoryan backed by the
government after he managed to secure 62.5% of the vote, while the
losing candidates have not challenged the results. One of them, Marat
Hasratyan, who is also an MP, agreed that the elections were conducted
properly. However, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry condemned the vote as
illegitimate in a statement issued after the elections. Baku called
the vote staged to conceal Armenian "occupation of Azerbaijan's
internationally recognized territories". In response, Vasili
Atajanyan, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson for Nagorno-Karabakh
which unilaterally seceded from Soviet Azerbaijan back in 1988,
dismissed Azerbaijan's response. He said the autonomous republic "is
showing the world that we have created a truly democratic state,"
unlike Azerbaijan, which he called a "hereditary sultanate" where
voters do not have voice.
Significance:The local elections in Nagorno-Karabakh indicate
that there is general consensus among the political parties in
the mainly ethnic Armenian region. Although some foreign election
monitors observed the vote, due to lack of international recognition
international election watchdogs were absent--hence it is difficult
to independently verify the quality of the vote. Nagorno-Karabakh
has seen a series of parliamentary, presidential and local elections
throughout itsde factoindependence in the past two decades. While
the region undoubtedly carries political influence from the parties
functioning in Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh has developed its own parties
which often disagree with the political decisions of Yerevan.
Furthermore, some of its politicians have not shied from openly
disputing some elements of the Armenian position on the final status
of Nagorno-Karabakh. The region, aside from the existential threat
from Azerbaijan, faces a handful of issues including corruption
and economic growth issues. Its leadership also realises that in
the face of increased threat of war with Baku, domestic political
unity is important. The ability to consistently uphold--albeit
imperfect--democratic traditions is also important political currency
for Nagorno-Karabakh, which is vying to gain international recognition
of its independence 20 years after its declaration.