Karabakh received a constitution

The population of 138 thousand Nagorno-Karabakh (NKR), judging by preliminary results, approved the draft of the first constitution in the history of this unrecognized republic, which has existed since December 1991, when 99.9% of the population of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region voted in a referendum for independence from Azerbaijan. It is noteworthy that yesterday polling stations worked not only in Nagorno-Karabakh, but also in the capital of Armenia, Yerevan.

Stepanakert is convinced that “the adoption of the constitution will have a positive impact on the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.” Azerbaijan, which does not recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh, reacted negatively to the event as “a waste of strength, energy and emotions.” Commenting on the negative reaction of Azerbaijan, the head of the NKR Arkady Ghukasyan said that he did not expect anything different: “Azerbaijan is guided by the principle “the worse the better.” A communiqué from Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis said: “The referendum in Nagorno-Karabakh has no legal force and its results will not be recognized by the international community. A decision on the status of the NKR can only be developed through negotiations, in which the OSCE Minsk Group is a mediator.” This group also includes Russia.

Victor VOLODIN