Sunday, February 19 2017 20:07

ArmInfo. As many as 102,557 citizens of the NKR (69% of the population) will be able to take part in the voting during the constitutional referendum in Nagorno-  Karabakh, i.e. 11,000 more than during the previous constitutional  referendum in 2006, according to Chairperson of the NKR Central  Electoral Commission Srbuhi Arzumanyan said at a press conference on  Feb 19.   

As ArmInfo's correspondent reports from Stepanakert, Arzumyan said  that 11 constituencies and 280 polling stations opened in the  republic. Prisoners will also take part in the voting.

She noted that 104 foreign observers from 30 countries of the world  and 103 local observers will monitor the course of the referendum,  and more than 80 journalists will cover it. The international  observers include Andreas Borgeas (from Fresno County Board of  Supervisors, District 2), Gail Pellerin (County Clerk at Santa Cruz  County Clerk/Elections), Karin MacDonald (Election Administration  Research Center at Berkeley Law), Argentine lawmaker Brenda Austin,  Uruguayan human rights activist Oscar Lopez Goldaracena, President of  the EU-Armenia Friendship Group Eleni Theocharous, as well as  representatives from Cyprus, the UK, France, Bulgaria. Canada,  Germany (former Ambassador of Germany to Armenia Reiner Morell). 

Arzumanyan stressed that two such referenda have taken place since  Nagorno-Karabakh proclaimed its independence. "The electoral  processes, voting and referenda in the NKR are become qualitatively  better with every passing year. We strive to bring them in compliance  with international standards and democratic principles," she said,  noting that the assessments of journalists and observers enhance the  republic's image on the international arena. 

She also pointed out that the residents of the village of Talish,  which was affected by the Azeri armed forces' aggression in April  2016, will vote at the polling station of Alashan community of  Martakert district, and those in Yerevan will be able to vote at the  NKR Consulate General in Yerevan.  

Arzumayan added that there are no representatives of Belarus among  the observers. However, one of the observers present at the briefing  said that she is a citizen of Belarus but she acts on behalf of an  international organization.  

The concept of the NKR constitutional reforms was presented in August  2016. Following public and political debates, the NKR Parliament took  a decision on Jan 17, 2017 to hold a referendum. The decision was  taken with 20 pros, 7 cons and 1 abstention. Under the current  constitution, the NKR is a semi- presidential republic.   Dashnaktsutyun and Revival factions voted against the document,  Movement-88 faction abstained from voting, while Free Motherland and  Democracy factions voted for the document. Under the current  constitution, the NKR is a semi-presidential republic. The new draft  constitution implies transition to a presidential form of government  with wide powers of the Parliament.