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The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh casts a shadow over Armenian research | Election Issues

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Armenia is preparing to go to the polls in a bid to win the by-elections in a bid to win the by-elections in the wake of last year’s Nagorno-Karabakh invasion.

Sunday’s election results will determine Armenia’s post-war and future 30-year war against Azerbaijan, yet many voters have not voted for what some see as a choice between bad and bad.

Four organizations and 22 parties have gone on strike against acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who resigned in April following months of protests against a peace deal last year that lasted six weeks of fighting.

At least 6,000 people, from both sides, were killed in the fighting, most of them soldiers.

The alliance, which was exchanged with Russia, was seen as a major enemy of Azerbaijan and saw Armenia reclaim areas around Nagorno-Karabakh to its neighbors, but Pashinyan insisted it had nothing to do with the loss.

As experts say it is probably the most controversial election in modern Armenia history, four former Republican leaders are now participating in parliamentary elections.

With the threats and insults exchanged and the widespread spread, some believe that there is a danger of conflict in the streets.

Pashinyan-Kocharyan show

His predecessors include Pashinyan, a former journalist who came to power after leading the peace protests in 2018 called the Velvet Revolution, and Robert Kocharyan, a former president who for some represents a former corrupt guard who was ousted from the insurgency.

While Pashinyan and his Civil Contract party have pledged to work to separate business and politics, Kocharyan is still facing a $ 3m bribe from a businesswoman in her final months as President in 2008.

Pashinyan came to power after leading the ‘Velvet Revolution’ in 2018 [Tigran Mehrabyan/PAN Photo via Reuters]

In total, six of the defendants are being prosecuted.

Kocharyan, who heads the Armenian Union, is also a former leader of Nagorno-Karabakh and hails from his headquarters, Stepanakert.

He is making himself a talented and security-minded politician who is retiring to lead Armenia through a difficult time.

But the infidelity of those in power now and in the past can change the turnout.

According to a March survey by the US Republican Institute, more than 40% of respondents said they would not vote.

Voters interviewed by Al Jazeera did not respond to any political affiliation.

Georgi Ghahramanyan, 37, a spokesman for Yerevan’s headquarters, will vote for Kocharyan because “at the same time you have chosen a few minor offenses”.

“He’s a seducer and a fan of power so I think he can deal with what happened instead of just saying nonsense,” he said.

If each party or bloc fails to get 50% of the vote, a second round will take place between the two parties with the most votes.

Experts have warned that there are already signs that if this happens, politicians could call their supporters into the streets.

“I do not agree with the Pashinyans, but everything is better than going back to Kocharyan state,” said Alex Mekhitarian, 42, a teacher.

Richard Giragosian, director of the Yerevan-based Regional Studies Center tank tank, said Kocharyan “represents Jurassic Park of Armenian politics – revenge for dinosaurs”.

He expects Pashinyan to win by a minority.

“Unelected voters will have a majority vote that would favor the government, not because they like them or support Pashinyan, but because the opposition is dangerous,” he said.

The dispute in Nagorno-Karabakh brings to light a vote

Opponents have not yet said what they would have done differently from the Nagorno-Karabakh war, which began in September last year, or later.

In the minds of many in Armenia, the country is still at war – civil strife and gun violence are rampant.

Kocharyan is a former leader of Nagorno-Karabakh and hails from his headquarters, Stepanakert [File: Vahram Baghdasaryan/Photolure via Reuters]

Last week, Baku handed over 15 prisoners of war (POW) in exchange for a map of the minefields in Agdam, which he had donated to the November peace agreement.

But the outcome of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is an important issue for many Armenians, as well as the presence of Russian peacekeepers in the region, according to a treaty that Moscow helped to improve.

“No matter who rules, the country is now very active in Russia,” said Giragosian, who believes Moscow favors Pashinyan to win.

“The Kremlin Armenia is very different from Belarus – Pashinyan as a legitimate, democratically elected leader and a Presidential candidate [Vladimir] Putin, in contrast [Alexander] Lukashenko. ”

Narek Minasyan, a senior analyst at Orbeli State’s government-sponsored office, which Pasinyan opened, said the possibility of another major meeting with Azerbaijan in the near future is low, but issues such as POWs have been political.

He also said the elections “will answer a number of questions about the people”.

“Do Armenian citizens want to continue the 2018 revolution and a way to improve democracy? Do they feel that the old system has failed? Do they also like former dictatorial leaders who want to set themselves up as ‘problem solvers’ to address the crisis?” Minasyan said. .

“Some people believe that after the war, the wounds are so deep that the elections will not bring peace, but will only aggravate the problem.”



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