No candidates for Artsakh president yet, MP says

No candidates have been nominated for president of Artsakh yet, MP Metakse Hakobyan of the Justice faction told Panorama.am on Friday.

President Samvel Shahramanyan’s term officially ended on May 21. Under the Artsakh constitution, a new presidential election must be held no earlier than seven and no later than ten days after the expiration of the current term. Candidate registration is expected within this period, but no formal preparations or discussions are currently underway, Hakobyan noted.

In an earlier interview, she emphasized the importance of unity in the current situation, stating that lawmakers are aiming for a consensus candidate.

On May 21, the Artsakh National Assembly elected Ashot Danielyan of the Free Homeland faction as its new speaker, replacing David Ishkhanyan, who is unlawfully held in Azerbaijan. The vote was held in an emergency session attended by 28 of the 33 MPs, with Danielyan receiving unanimous support.

Hakobyan stressed that the National Assembly will continue its work in line with constitutional provisions as parliamentary elections cannot be held currently.