Karabakh Prepares for Municipal Elections, Azerbaijan Launches 'Hysterical' Campaign

A voter carries out her right to vote during parliamentary elections in the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, May 2015. Photo credit: Photolure.

The population of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR) is preparing to go to the polls on September 13 to elect their municipal government. This will be the second time that the Republic is holding elections this year. On May 3, Armenians in Karabakh elected their new parliament in the presence of a number of international observation missions.

According to a statement issued by the NKR Foreign Ministry today, "Azerbaijani authorities have launched a hysterical campaign against the ongoing democratic processes..." The foreign ministry statement also noted that Azerbaijan has continued to destabilize the situation on the Karabakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact "making repeated attempts at reconnaissance and sabotage, as well as continuously shooting with large caliber mortars and artillery."

Last month, the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan issued a harsh statement condemning the September 13 local elections, making "baseless accusations against NKR and Armenia" and actively lobbying and disseminating misinformation to power centers around the world. NKR Foreign Ministry says that a number of Azerbaijani media appear to be in a "race" to see who can scoop similar accusations from any number of countries and international organizations.

"Condemnation of the municipal elections in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic by Azerbaijan is a manifestation of panic phobia of Azerbaijani leadership towards the democratic processes taking place in the NKR. This is especially evident against the background of the deteriorating situation with human rights and freedom of speech in Azerbaijan, where elections are an open ended process of inheritance, human rights activists and journalists are persecuted for dissent, and the population deprived of the opportunity to fully realize their fundamental rights and freedoms. Bringing to the end any illusion of democracy in its country, the leadership of Azerbaijan does not fall short of attempts to impose its own "standards" of human rights throughout the international community including its neighboring countries," the statement reads.

Officials in Karabakh are determined to organize and carry out the elections for municipal government "in line with its commitment to democratic values and principles....and... solely by means of free, fair, transparent and competitive elections, which have become an integral part of the political culture of the NKR."

This will be the sixth time that voters in Karabakh will be electing municipal government. The first time was on September 27, 1998.

"Implementation of the local self-government in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, safeguarding the citizens to participate directly in the conduct of public affairs is regulated by the Constitution of the NKR in full compliance with international law and, particularly, the European Charter of Local Self-Government

Attaching special importance to the institution of local self-government as a form of direct and representative governance by the people as well as the foundations of any democratic regime, the NKR authorities will spare no efforts to enhance its further development and strengthening."

Following the parliamentary elections in Nagorno Karabakh in May, 2015, where over a hundred international observers from Europe and the American monitored the election, Karin Mac Donald, Gail Pellerin and Kristen Abajian, who were part of a U.S. consortium of observers spoke to CivilNet’s Maria Titizian about their impressions of Election Day in Karabakh.

You can watch the full interview below: