Nothing unexpected happened in Artsakh as the results of the presidential elections held on July 19 were widely anticipated, political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan told a press conference on Friday.

Asked whether Bako Sahakyan’s reelection to the president’s post undermines democratic foundations of the Artsakh Republic, Iskandaryan referred to the special phase of the country development, suggesting Karabakh has own logic and pattern of development.

Iskandaryan reflected on the incidents at the Line of Contact between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, dismissing any link between the presidential elections and the border escalation. 
“Azerbaijan realizes neither negotiations nor a war are anywhere in sight for Karabakh settlement, subsequently there is the growing concern the situation will remain unchanged,” the expert said, expressing pessimistic over the conflict settlement or a breakthrough in the nearest future. 

“Azerbaijan has adopted a tactic of exerting pressure on the Armenian sides. At this phase Azerbaijan looks like Egypt of Mubarak era or Libya under Gaddafi ruling,” Iskandaryan noted.