Draft Amendment to Artsakh Constitution Withdrawn: Harutyunyan Appeals to Artsakh National Assembly

The President of the Republic of Artsakh, Arayik Harutyunyan, on November 22, appealed to the Chairman of the National Assembly for the draft amendment to the Artsakh Constitution to be returned, thereby withdrawing it from circulation, based on Article 62, Part 3, Clause 4, and Article 78, Part 6 of the Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly.

The decision was prompted by various political assessments voiced during the implementation of the constitutional amendment initiative, as well as the negative reactions that emerged among the public regarding the draft, which could have led to further internal divisions and tensions.

According to the country's leader, internal solidarity and unity are our strongest forces and the most important guarantee for courageously facing the challenges of state-building during this most difficult phase.

The President will initiate additional political consultations regarding the further progress of constitutional amendments.

On the evening of November 3, the National Assembly of Artsakh sent the draft amendment to the Constitutional Court with 30 votes in favor to determine its constitutionality. It was unanimously approved in the first reading on October 27.

According to the draft, several articles of the Constitution can be amended without a referendum, sufficing with a decision of at least two-thirds of the total number of deputies. The amendments can be initiated by the President of the Republic, at least five percent of eligible voters, or at least one-third of the total number of deputies.

A previously published draft of the Concept for Constitutional Reforms stated that parliamentary and presidential elections would be held separately, in 2023 and 2024, respectively. This provision is absent in the current draft presented to the National Assembly.

The constitutional amendments propose a transition from a presidential system to a semi-presidential governance structure. The current Constitution of Artsakh was adopted in 2006 and amended in 2017. At the time of its adoption and subsequent amendments, the jurisdiction of Artsakh extended not only over the majority of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) but also over seven regions of Soviet Azerbaijan adjacent to the NKAO, in whole or in part. After the war in 2020, Artsakh lost control not only over the seven regions but also over parts of the former NKAO, including the city of Shushi and the entire Hadrut region.