HOW ARE WE GOING TO ELECT PRESIDENT

Lragir.am
28 Aug 06

The year 2007 may be a breakthrough for Karabakh. In the fall of the
next year the second term of President Arkady Ghukasyan will end. In
accordance with the law, a person cannot run three terms running. In
fact, it is possible that A. Ghukasyan will run a third term but
there has been no official statement yet. Therefore, the question of
candidate is becoming urgent in the current situation. And interest
in this question is not difficult to explain.

Open Society NGO decided to conduct a survey among the population
of the republic. Considering statements in the media, opinions of
experts and political activity, 14 politicians were chosen who could
be presidential candidates. The organization offered to vote for one
on the list. The results are the following.

Open Society questioned 150 people. 31 people voted for Ashot Ghulyan,
Speaker of NKR National Assembly. Then comes Armen Sargsyan (the
leader of the parliamentary group ARF – Movement 88) with 24 votes,
Seyran Ohanyan (minister of defense of NKR) 15 respondents.

Next is the mayor of Stepanakert Edward Aghabekyan and Masis Mayilyan
(11 votes each). Bako Sahakyan and Vitaly Balasanyan got 7 votes.

Georgy Petrosyan and Gegham Baghdasaryan got 5 votes each. Ararat
Danielyan got 4 votes, Rudik Hiusnunts got 2 votes. Hrant Melkumyan,
Murad Petrosyan and Arthur Mosiyan got 1 vote each.

There was also the option "name other possible candidates".

Three people named Arkady Ghukasyan, 1 person named Samvel Babayan.

Another 11 respondents found it difficult to answer this question.

Another 9 think that none of the politicians they know suit this
post. 1 respondent said all the 15 candidates could occupy this post
because it does not require big responsibility.