We do not have candidate for Artsakh presidency yet, but reaching consensus on nominee is desirable — David Galstyan

The Constitution of Artsakh sets a seven-day deadline for nominating presidential candidates, after which the National Assembly must convene a meeting and elect a president within three days, David Galstyan, head of the Justice faction of the National Assembly of Artsakh, told Alpha News.

“We will act within the framework of the Constitution. It would be very good if all five parliamentary factions reached a consensus on the presidential candidate, but as of now, there have been no discussions, as there is still time. After the forced displacement from Artsakh, we have announced that we will put aside political and party interests, focusing solely on preserving the statehood of Artsakh and uniting the people. Of course, it would be better for the presidential candidate to be chosen by consensus, given the importance of our right to return and addressing numerous social challenges,” David Galstyan said.

Although there has been no official announcement regarding Samvel Shahramanyan’s candidacy, media reports suggest he is the likely presidential candidate.

“Samvel Shahramanyan was the president who was able to save our compatriots from genocide and safely organize their evacuation. This should not just be the position of the faction, it should also be the desire of this person. I am sure that as a result of the discussions, we will make a final decision. Until a decision is made, I don’t think it’s right to talk about it now. There should be discussions, there should be a plan. We should talk about steps before determining whom to nominate and elect as president,” Galstyan said.

The term of the Artsakh president expired on May 21. According to the Constitution, until a new president is elected, the chairman of the National Assembly assumes presidential duties. However, David Ishkhanyan has been held captive in Baku since October 2023. Given the circumstances, on May 21, at the initiative of the members of the National Assembly of Artsakh, an extraordinary meeting was convened, during which Ashot Danielyan, a member of the Free Motherland-UCA faction, was elected chairman of the parliament with 28 votes in favor.

David Galstyan noted that 28 of the 33 Artsakh MPs were present at the meeting, with four absent due to valid reasons, while David Ishkhanyan remains in Azerbaijani captivity.

“There was a consensus around Ashot Danielyan, he was elected with 28 votes in favor. This was the step that allowed us to preserve the institutions of the Artsakh parliament and presidency,” David Galstyan added.