EAFJD Welcomes Nagorno Karabakh’s Free and Fair Parliamentary Elections

Stepanakert – On May 3, 2015, the elections for the National Assembly of Nagorno Karabakh Republic – Artsakh took place. The ten highly experienced delegates of the independent international election observation mission deployed by the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) reported a calm, transparent and orderly election day.

According to the observers, the election day in NKR overall “fulfilled the criteria enshrined in fundamental documents such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, OSCE 1990 Copenhagen Document, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) used to measure the state of democracy in established states”.

The delegates of the mission from nine European countries[1] visited 57 polling stations out of 279 in all 11 constituencies. The independent election mission produced a report on NKR parliamentary elections of May 3 (to be released tomorrow). The report was produced according to the methodological guidelines and code of conduct established for OSCE/ODHR election observation missions, as well as those enshrined in the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation.

“The European Armenian Federation warmly congratulates the people of Artsakh for the successful, transparent and orderly parliamentary elections fulfilling the highest of standards, which is testified by the independent professionals of the election observation mission”, said EAFJD President Kaspar Karampetian.

“These elections were another vital step for democracy building in Artsakh and a clear proof of the people’s determination to live in an independent, democratic and developing country. We congratulate all members of the newly elected Parliament and wish them all the best in further consolidating the Republic’s democracy and we look forward to cooperating with them in further developing the country”, concluded Karampetian.

[1] The delegates are nationals of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Ireland, Romania, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Greece. They have participated in numerous election observation missions for the OSCE, European Union, Carter Centre, and other organizations.