The observers participating in the elections in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) gave a clear evaluation — there are several member countries of the Council of Europe that can’t even dream of holding such democratic, open and competitive elections. This is what Naira Zohrabyan declared during the PACE Autumn Session, touching upon the elections of local self-government bodies held in Artsakh on September 8 and stating that, once again, Artsakh held free and competitive elections that can set an example for certain member states of the Council of Europe. Zohrabyan’s speech particularly reads as follows:

“I would like to understand the following: if there is a dispute over the status of Artsakh, can anyone here dispute the existence of the people living in Artsakh and human rights? I am certain that there isn’t. I call on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to not overlook the democratic processes taking place in Artsakh and help the people of Artsakh improve their legislation and institutions and strengthen human rights protection since this will benefit people, and they are worth more than any document and status. Dear colleagues, today I will talk about the elections of local self-government bodies in the Republic of Artsakh because the elections held in Artsakh were exceptional since they were legitimate and democratic. The observers participating in the elections in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) gave a clear evaluation — there are several member countries of the Council of Europe that can’t even dream of holding such democratic, open and competitive elections.”