Russia's Monitoring Mission says presidential election in NKR are free, open, democratic and fair

• Friday, July 20, 11:01

The presidential election in Nagornyy Karabakh Republic passed in the conditions of high political competition and legal equality in access to mass media, the statement by the Russian Monitoring Mission says. Several shortcoming in the work of the electoral commissions mentioned by members of the mission were more of the organizational and technical nature. Members of electoral commissions and representatives of local authorities took measures for their operative removal. The mission positively assesses the voting stages. Voters were personally voting. The Monitoring Mission did not notice any incidents or violations which would affect free will expression. The votes accounting process at the ballot stations was transparent. The monitors had an opportunity without any obstacle to study documents of the election, samples of ballots, solutions of the electoral commissions and protocols of sittings.

 According to the results of the voting, the Russian Monitoring Mission recognizes the presidential election in Nagornyy Karabakh Republic on 19 July 2012 legitimate, transparent, free, open, democratic, fair and fully meeting the electoral legislation of republic as well as international standards for democratic elections.
The fifth presidential election in Nagornyy Karabakh Republic taken place on the alternative basis with participation of the three candidates, are evidence of consistent actions on the way of enhancing the institute of democratic elections and development of civil society. The activeness of voters, their motivation and civil position are evidence of their deep involvement in the democratic process. The participants in the mission think the election are very much important for the negotiating process within the OSCE Minsk Group as well as in general for effective functioning of the power structures of Nagornyy Karabakh Republic. The efforts directed at the building and improvement of the democratic electoral system require adequate attention from the side of the OSCE MG co-chairmen and the world community in general. This would promote settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakhi conflict as soon as possible, as well as establishment of stability and truly strong peace in the region.