Masis Mailyan: We intend to create an effective management system that  will be able to meet external and internal challenges.

ArmInfo. In an interview with ArmInfo reporter, NKR Presidential candidate, Artsakh Foreign Minister Masis Mayilyan spoke about the main priorities, goals and  objectives of his election campaign, Artsakh-Armenia relations,  election campaigning and much more.

- Mr. Mayilyan, tell us about the features of your election program.

The peculiarity of our program comes from our view of the current  realities of our state. We believe that the current political system  of Artsakh does not comply with the imperatives of the time and  restrains the development of our country. A significant degree of  fusion of the public administration system with business is starting  to pose a serious threat to national security. The decision-making  system in such circumstances cannot correspond to the interests of  society and the state. Many important events of recent years are  evidence of the inefficiency of this approach. We cannot afford to  continue to maintain the practice described. All our reforms will  proceed and the tasks of changing the realities I have described.

- What goals and objectives do you set for yourself?

The key objective of our reform program is the task of legal  regulation of the spheres of political and economic activity. Our  goal is to eliminate the mechanisms of capital dictatorship over  political structures and state institutions. By adopting a number of  interconnected laws, we plan to create mechanisms for protecting  property, which will eradicate the motives of large owners to acquire  parliamentary mandates and government posts at any cost. Business and  entrepreneurial activities should be legislatively and effectively  separated. Political parties should also not be dependent on the  financial capabilities of large owners. There should be no shadow  mechanisms of influence on free elections.  The foregoing does not  mean that facts of illegal enrichment at the expense of budget funds  will be ignored.  No one can deny the presence of injustice in the  socio-economic life of our country. As part of the legal protection  program for property and entrepreneurship, the task of returning  illegally acquired capital on the basis of separate judicial  decisions will also be solved. Property cannot be firmly protected if  society does not recognize the legality of this property. Only a fair  distribution of national wealth can create an atmosphere of harmony  in society. We set ourselves the task of creating such an atmosphere  in the country.  This program can be arbitrarily called an economic  amnesty under rather stringent conditions for compensation for damage  caused to society.

- From your point of view, what is the priority - reunification with  Armenia, or independence?

The fact of legal blurring of relations between the Republic of  Armenia and Artsakh is currently creating ever deeper problems for  our people. We are dealing with political and legal dissonance. The  joint decision of the Supreme Council of Armenia and the National  Council of Nagorno-Karabakh, dated December 1, 1989, which is  preserved in the Declaration of Independence of Armenia, against the  background of the NKR Declaration of Independence of 1992, does not  regulate the legal framework of relations between official Yerevan  and Stepanakert. The citizens of Artsakh are essentially deprived of  many political rights.  These issues have not been discussed for a  long time. Accordingly, the atmosphere of irreconcilable  confrontation of opinions among the Armenian public remains. We  intend to seriously address this issue.

-The society of Armenia is very interested in the question: why  ex-Minister of Defense Samvel Babayan decided to support you in your  election campaign. Please tell us more about this. Why do you think  Babayan decided to support you?

In fact, the main part of the question should be addressed to Samvel  Babayan. He has spoken out more than once about his decision. We have  a common desire to carry out fundamental reforms in the country and  create an effective management system that will be able to meet  external and internal challenges. In addition, more than twenty  thousand people recently supported the initiative to return the  ex-defense minister to current politics. I could not ignore their  willingness to hold my candidacy. These are our citizens, and their  opinion is important to me. Moreover, there are no special  disagreements between my election program and the program of the  United Homeland party.

- Recently, you and the representatives of your team have been  associated with the Soros Foundation. How do you comment on this  circumstance?

There are no people in our political team who receive grants from the  Soros Foundation, and this foundation has never interacted with  Artsakh non-governmental organizations. The theme of the Open Society  Foundation, as it seems, has long been the basis for purely domestic  political platforms of many politically active groups. It has nothing  to do with the activities of this fund. Politicians without any  constructive ideas simply create images of subversive forces behind  their rivals. This is an operation planned in the style of the Soviet  KGB to discredit political opponents. First, an information campaign  is conducted to demonize Soros and his funds, then attempts are made  to put the label of "Soros" on objectionable figures. These attempts  are in vain, for the simple reason that I have never collaborated  with the Open Society Foundation.

During my career as an independent expert, I took part in research  and peacekeeping projects supported by the European Union. The  authors of the defamation operation have a bad opinion about our  people. The calculation is made on the fact that people are not able  to distinguish the Open Society Foundation from one of the main  partners of the Republic of Armenia - the European Union. Relations  between the European Union and Armenia are built on the basis of a  comprehensive and expanded partnership agreement between the European  Union and Armenia, which was signed on the sidelines of the Eastern  Partnership Summit in Brussels in November 2017.

-How do you estimate your chances to win the race?

Very high. Communication with citizens increasingly strengthens  confidence in victory.

-Thanks for the interesting conversation, Mr.  Mayilyan.