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NK-Related News Compiled from Reliable Sources*

Under provisional information of the Nagorno Karabakh Central Election Commission, 71,285 people participated in the presidential election yesterday, which is 77.36% of the total number of eligible voters. 67,695 voters gave their votes for one or another candidate; 57,828 of them, or 85.42%, voted for Bako Saakyan; Deputy Foreign Minister Masis Mailyan is the second with 12.21%, or 8,270 votes. The third one is MP Armen Abgaryan with 1.26%, or 856 votes, Communist Hrant Melkumyan received 0.8%, or 539 votes, and lecturer Vanya Avansyan was the last one with 0.3%, or 22 votes.

As CEC Chair Sergey Nasibyan said, the data is preliminary, as in accordance with the NKR CEC, the results are to be proceeded by 08:00 p.m. next day after the election. So, more precise information will be known tonight.

It is worth mentioning, additional information will hardly change the outcome of the election, as Bako Saakyan has a major lead at the race. Thus, one can say that the people of Nagorno Karabakh have made their choice and former head of the NKR National Security Service Bako Saakyan is elected as NKR third president.

Saakyan’s election platform was based on social issues. Answering questions whether he would replace the government if he becomes president, he said “Yes.”

First NKR president was Robert Kocharyan, who is now President of Armenia. In 1997 he was replaced by Arkady Gukasyan, who was re-elected in 2002. In the beginning of 2007, he announced that two terms envisaged by the constitution were enough for him and he would not run for the third term.

Bako Saakyan was born in Stepanakert on August 30, 1960. In 1977, he finished school in Stepanakert. In 1978-80s was in the Soviet Army. In 1981, he became a machinist at the Stepanakert Mechanical Works. Since 1988, he has been known as an activist of the Artsakh Movement. In 1990s, he became a member of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Forces. In 1996-97, he was deputy chief of the 10th Mountain Infantry Division of the AO NKR in charge for the home front. In 1997-99, he was aide of the Armenian interior and national security minister. In 1999-2001, he served as NKR Interior Minister. Since 2001, he was head of the NKR National Security Service. He is married and has two children.