Former deputy defense minister of Armenia, Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun member Arthur Aghabekyan is not authorized to back any of Nagorno Karabakh presidential candidates, but wants incumbent president Bako Sahakyan be re-elected.

Speaking to Tert.am, Arthur Aghabekyan said being born in Nagorno Karabakh and having passed the war path he wants to see Bako Sahakyan as the future NKR president. “I would like our cooperation of the past five years continue in the future five years as well,” he stressed.

Arthur Aghabekyan said he has passed the battle path with other candidate ex ARF-D MP of the NKR National Assembly Vitaly Balasanyan as well.

Three candidates are running for presidency in Nagorno Karabakh – the incumbent president Bako Sahakyan, pro-rector of the Stepanakert branch of Armenian Agrarian University Arkady Soghomonyan and former NKR MP of the ARF-D faction Vitaly Balasanyan.

In response to the public question addressed to the three presidential candidates by Aghavni Sahakyan, coordinator of the “Zhirayr Sefilyan civil right defense” committee, Vitaly Balasanyan said each Armenian has a right to become Artsakh citizen and if elected he plans to grant Artsakh citizenship to the former freedom fighter which will be possible with the adoption of law on NKR citizenship, the step he said to be the first after his election.

Asked about his position over the issue, Arthur Aghabekyan said, “I am not NKR presidential candidate to be asked about it, but as citizen of Armenia, I have already expressed my opinion that Zhirayr Sefilyan is worthy to be citizen of Armenia.”