The candidate for the new Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) President of four of the five forces in the National Assembly (NA) is Samvel Shahramanyan, who was appointed Minister of State a few days ago.

Those forces are the opposition ARF, National Democratic, and Justice Factions, as well as the ruling Free Homeland-UCA Faction.

Shahramanyan met with these four forces Tuesday, the first round of the NA elections for the new Artsakh President will take place on Saturday, and the Artsakh NA speaker on Friday will make a statement regarding the appointment of the day of the respective NA session.

Samvel Shahramanyan, according to various sources, is among the close circles of the former President of Artsakh, Bako Sahakyan. When the latter was the President, Shahramanyan was the Director of the National Security Service of Artsakh.

The second largest force in the Artsakh NA, the United Homeland Faction led by Samvel Babayan, decided not to participate in the parliamentary voting for the new president. They plan to hold a demonstration in capital Stepanakert on the day of the presidential election.

The votes of the aforementioned four factions will be enough to elect Shahramanyan as the new President in the first round.

Arayik Harutyunyan submitted his resignation from the post of Artsakh President on September 1. Also, Minister of State Gurgen Nersisyan was relieved of his post, and Samvel Shahramanyan was appointed to that position, being relieved of the post of Secretary of the Artsakh Security Council.