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SOCIAL ISSUES HIGH ON AGENDA AS KARABAKH VOTES
Institute for War and Peace Reporting IWPR
CRS Issue 651
UK
July 16 2012
Facebook becomes leading campaign medium, though not all voters have
internet access.
By Anahit Danielyan, Lusine Musaelyan - Caucasus CRS Issue 651,
16 Jul 12
This week's presidential election in Nagorny Karabakh looks like
being the closest-run contest in years, and all the signs are that
voters will be swayed by pledges to fix the local economy and improve
welfare provision.
The July 19 ballot has provoked unusual amounts of electioneering and
debate, with social networking media coming to the fore as a platform
for candidates to seek votes.
Nagorny Karabakh has been run by an Armenian administration since 1994,
when the war with Azerbaijan came to a close. With no peace deal or
agreement in its future in place, Karabakh's claim to independence
remains unrecognised, even by neighbour and ally Armenia, as Azerbaijan
continues to assert its sovereignty.
Karabakh's status is a unifying factor for its Armenian residents,
and there is little internal disagreement on the subject.
In this election, candidates have insisted they will seek international
recognition and promised the electorate general prosperity and a much
improved health service.
As in previous polls, voters have been questioning candidates on the
frozen conflict, but it is clear they also want to hear what a new
president will do to address their welfare and economic problems. Many
have used the public meetings to complain about low wages and pensions,
and the difficulty of obtaining and repaying a bank loan.
"The standard of living hasn't improved in the last five years,"
Armine Hayrapetyan, a voter from Stepanakert, said. "Although there are
various kinds of loans on offered, they've become a sort of burden and
many people now have outstanding debts to the banks. The authorities
say these loans are designed for younger people, but only a few young
families can currently afford them. The interest rate is too high and
[mortgage] deposits are large, so that many families are forced to
rent their apartments."
The incumbent president, Bako Sahakyan, has had to field some hard
questions at public meetings.
"I am a disabled mother with many children, and one of them is
disabled, too. Although I am incapacitated, I still sweep the streets
just to earn a little money and support my kids," said Karine,
who attended a meeting with Sahakyan in the town of Shusha. "Can we
survive on my [monthly] income of 30,000 drams [73 US dollars]? Please
answer me that."
In the last presidential election held in 2007, public support for
Sahakyan's leading challenger Masis Mayilyan was muted, but this
time round many voters are open about backing parliamentarian Vitaly
Balasanyan, seen as the main challenger. (See Two Main Candidates
Square up for Karabakh Election.)
After Valery Khachatryan withdrew from the race on July 10, there is
only one other candidate, agricultural specialist Arkady Soghomonyan.
Balasanyan has pioneered the use of Facebook campaigning, constantly
updating his page and responding to questions posted there.
In answer to one question about what he would do to improve social
conditions, he promised "an unrelenting struggle against the unlawful
interference in the economy by state officials, the accretion of
power and business, protectionism and embezzlement".
He has promised to raise the minimum pension and disabled benefits,
and to peg child benefits to inflation.
Sahakyan has tried to catch up by opening his own Facebook. He too
has a Q & A section, but so far the questions posted there have
gone unanswered.
He has, however, secured the backing of all three parliamentary parties
- Free Homeland, the Democratic Party of Artsakh and Dashnaktsutyun -
as well as of the Communists, who hold no seats.
Balasanyan is backed by a number of politicians who have contested a
series of local and national elections, including Mayilyan, a former
foreign minister.
Internet access has improved and become cheaper in the last year,
but for many Karabakh voters, election news is still accessible only
on the sole TV channel and a number of radio stations. The candidates
have been allotted a 30 minutes' free airtime on TV and radio, and
can buy more.
One of the questions posed to Sahakyan come from a young man from a
village in Hadrut region.
"Mr. President, we are completely isolated from the rest of the world.
Please provide us with internet," he said.
Anahit Danielyan is editor of Karabakh-open.info. Lusine Musaelyan
reports for Radio Liberty in Stepanakert.
Institute for War and Peace Reporting IWPR
CRS Issue 651
UK
July 16 2012
Facebook becomes leading campaign medium, though not all voters have
internet access.
By Anahit Danielyan, Lusine Musaelyan - Caucasus CRS Issue 651,
16 Jul 12
This week's presidential election in Nagorny Karabakh looks like
being the closest-run contest in years, and all the signs are that
voters will be swayed by pledges to fix the local economy and improve
welfare provision.
The July 19 ballot has provoked unusual amounts of electioneering and
debate, with social networking media coming to the fore as a platform
for candidates to seek votes.
Nagorny Karabakh has been run by an Armenian administration since 1994,
when the war with Azerbaijan came to a close. With no peace deal or
agreement in its future in place, Karabakh's claim to independence
remains unrecognised, even by neighbour and ally Armenia, as Azerbaijan
continues to assert its sovereignty.
Karabakh's status is a unifying factor for its Armenian residents,
and there is little internal disagreement on the subject.
In this election, candidates have insisted they will seek international
recognition and promised the electorate general prosperity and a much
improved health service.
As in previous polls, voters have been questioning candidates on the
frozen conflict, but it is clear they also want to hear what a new
president will do to address their welfare and economic problems. Many
have used the public meetings to complain about low wages and pensions,
and the difficulty of obtaining and repaying a bank loan.
"The standard of living hasn't improved in the last five years,"
Armine Hayrapetyan, a voter from Stepanakert, said. "Although there are
various kinds of loans on offered, they've become a sort of burden and
many people now have outstanding debts to the banks. The authorities
say these loans are designed for younger people, but only a few young
families can currently afford them. The interest rate is too high and
[mortgage] deposits are large, so that many families are forced to
rent their apartments."
The incumbent president, Bako Sahakyan, has had to field some hard
questions at public meetings.
"I am a disabled mother with many children, and one of them is
disabled, too. Although I am incapacitated, I still sweep the streets
just to earn a little money and support my kids," said Karine,
who attended a meeting with Sahakyan in the town of Shusha. "Can we
survive on my [monthly] income of 30,000 drams [73 US dollars]? Please
answer me that."
In the last presidential election held in 2007, public support for
Sahakyan's leading challenger Masis Mayilyan was muted, but this
time round many voters are open about backing parliamentarian Vitaly
Balasanyan, seen as the main challenger. (See Two Main Candidates
Square up for Karabakh Election.)
After Valery Khachatryan withdrew from the race on July 10, there is
only one other candidate, agricultural specialist Arkady Soghomonyan.
Balasanyan has pioneered the use of Facebook campaigning, constantly
updating his page and responding to questions posted there.
In answer to one question about what he would do to improve social
conditions, he promised "an unrelenting struggle against the unlawful
interference in the economy by state officials, the accretion of
power and business, protectionism and embezzlement".
He has promised to raise the minimum pension and disabled benefits,
and to peg child benefits to inflation.
Sahakyan has tried to catch up by opening his own Facebook. He too
has a Q & A section, but so far the questions posted there have
gone unanswered.
He has, however, secured the backing of all three parliamentary parties
- Free Homeland, the Democratic Party of Artsakh and Dashnaktsutyun -
as well as of the Communists, who hold no seats.
Balasanyan is backed by a number of politicians who have contested a
series of local and national elections, including Mayilyan, a former
foreign minister.
Internet access has improved and become cheaper in the last year,
but for many Karabakh voters, election news is still accessible only
on the sole TV channel and a number of radio stations. The candidates
have been allotted a 30 minutes' free airtime on TV and radio, and
can buy more.
One of the questions posed to Sahakyan come from a young man from a
village in Hadrut region.
"Mr. President, we are completely isolated from the rest of the world.
Please provide us with internet," he said.
Anahit Danielyan is editor of Karabakh-open.info. Lusine Musaelyan
reports for Radio Liberty in Stepanakert.