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Simone Zoppellaro, an Italian journalist, got acquainted with the president of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Bako Sahakyan, in his office in Stepanakert centre during an interview published on the website Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso.

The Italian journalist describes the president smoking Marlboro, while calmly and slowly forming his words during the interview. There were books on the art and culture of Armenia on his table.
Zoppellaro writes that about 120 international observers attended the 2015 parliamentary elections in the NKR. They said the elections were transparent and met the international standards. The journalist asked Bako Sahakyan how it could be possible.

According to the president, democracy plays an important role in the life of the country. The NKR has repeatedly organised elections – local, parliamentary and presidential. International observers have always assessed them positively, calling them transparent, democratic, free and fair. “Such an assessment is very important for us. However, I would like to add that we have created democratic institutions holding transparent elections not because we want to show the world that we are democratic. This all is a part of our philosophy and our life,” Bako Sahakyan highlighted.

Expressing his view regarding the position of Europe and the US, which do not recognise the NKR, the president notes that the government of the republic does not feel it has the right to criticise anyone, either the international community or the West. He said the recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic is inevitable for the peaceful resolution of the conflict. However, Azerbaijan’s position is the main obstacle in the settlement today. Bako Sahakyan believes Baku’s caviar diplomacy and corrupt activities have achieved significant results abroad. The NKR president hopes the international community will reconsider its attitude towards Azerbaijan.

“We think that, unfortunately, double standards are applied in the international policy. But we are not looking at what the others do; we have our own way, and it is democracy,” Bako Sahakyan, the NKR president, said.

He added that Karabakh conflict does not have a religious context. Many Armenians live in Muslim countries like Iran, Lebanon, and until recently, Syria. “They have never been subjected to religious persecutions. For our part, we also share the same tolerance towards the Muslims,” the NKR president highlighted.