PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH: LEGAL AND POLITICAL ASPECTS

David BABAIAN

---

David Babaian, Ph.D. (Hist.), international law lecturer at the Stepanakert Branch of the Russian-Armenian Academy of the Humanities (Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh)

---

Throughout the first half of 2005 parliamentary elections scheduled for 19 June remained topic No. 1 in Nagorny Karabakh, the electoral passions reaching their peak in May and June. This says that even though the Karabakh conflict has not yet been settled the people responded to the elections with the “fever” typical of peaceful times and much more stable situations.

Evolution of the Normative Base

Elections in Nagorny Karabakh follow the same democratic pattern observed in all other civilized countries: they are carried out by general, equal, and secret ballot. Until 2004 the following documents described the election procedures: the Law on the President of the NKR, the Law on the Election of Deputies to the National Assembly of the NKR, and the Law on the Election to Local Self-Administrations. It should be said that the first law on the election of deputies to the National Assembly (NA) was adopted in Nagorny Karabakh back in 1994. In March 2000 the republic acquired a new law on the parliamentary elections, which adjusted some of the provisions of the previous document to the international standards. Since 2004 the republic has been guiding itself by the Election Code that brought together all laws relating to all election procedures. Later additions and amendments greatly improved the normative base in this sphere.

Under Art 32 of the Code election commissions—the Central, district (city) and local (at the polling stations)—are formed during the elections’ preparatory stage. Before the Code was enacted the……………..

---

Please fill subscription form to obtain full text of this jounal