The NKR Central Electoral Commission has provided final data on the results of voting  at the Constitutional Referendum held on February 20.
Thus, 79 428 citizens or 76.52% of the eligible voters participated in the referendum.
According to the CEC, 69 540 citizens or 87,55 % voted in favor of constitutional reform;  7 686 citizens or 9.7 % of the voters cast their vote against the new Constitution. The number of invalid ballots was 2 202 (2.8 %).
A 14-member group of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has already arrived in Armenia to carry out an observation mission at the parliamentary elections scheduled for April 2.
Another 28 long-term observers are expected to arrive in Armenia next week, Ambassador Jan Petersen, Head of the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission, told reporters in Yerevan.
Amb. Petersen said 250 short-term observers will follow the voting on election day.
The mission’s deployment follows an invitation from the Armenian authorities.
The OSCE/ODIHR EOM will assess the elections for compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation. Observers will closely monitor voter registration, candidate registration, campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant governmental bodies, election-related legislation and its implementation, the media environment and the resolution of election-related disputes. As part of the observation, the mission will also monitor the media coverage of the campaign.
In the course of its observation, the mission will meet with representatives of relevant authorities and of political parties, as well as with representatives of civil society, the media and the international community.
On election day, observers will monitor the opening of polling stations, voting, the counting of ballots and the tabulation of results. For election day, the mission will join efforts with delegations from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
A statement of preliminary findings and conclusions will be issued on the day after the election. A final report on the observation of the entire election process, including recommendations, will be published approximately two months after the completion of the election process.
âItâs up to the Armenian authorities, government and political parties to decide whether or not to take note of the proposals included in the report,â Jan Petersen said.
The WBO eliminator at super middleweight between former WBA light heavyweight contender Robin Krasniqi (46-4) and and former WBO champ Arthur Abraham (45-5) will go ahead April 22 at the Congress Center in Erfurt, reports.
It´s a fine matchup with the winner heading for a world title fight while loser faces a long way back.
Members of the European Parliament Frank Engel, Eleni Theocharous and Jaromir Stetina have issued the following joint statement on the Constitutional Referendum in Artsakh. The statement reads:
On the 20th February, the people of Artsakh voted on the draft Constitution that the authorities of the Republic submitted to their consideration. The turnout of over 76% is resounding proof of the intention of Artsakh voters to take an active part in the shaping on their democracy. The vote took place after a campaign during which both camps expressed their ideas and convictions freely. Promoters and opponents of the draft Constitution confronted their positions in the parliamentary and public debate.
The people of Artsakh said yes to their new constitution, which heralds significant changes in the institutional functioning of the country. It also clearly spells out that the Republic of Artsakh upholds and protects the rule of law and the rights and the freedoms of the people. This message, relayed by the population of Artsakh through their decisive approval of the draft constitution is particularly significant in the South Caucasus.
A people, a population, a nation who believe in their state and refine their republican institutions should not be ignored by the international community. These people, these voting citizens exist. Their existence is not affected by the absence of international recognition of their country. The people of Artsakh, a nation under constant threat of military attack by an aggressive neighbor, continue to oppose democratic vitality and maturity to the international denial of their state.
Members of the European Parliament
Frank Engel, Eleni Theocharous, Jaromir Stetina
The voter turnout in the Artsakh Constitutional Referendum reached 46.82% (48Â 115 citizens) as of 2 p.m., the NKR Referendum Central Commission reports.
Artsakh is holding a referendum on a new draft Constitution. All 280 polling stations opened at 8 a.m. this morning. The number of eligible voters is 102Â 757.
Luisne Avanesyan
Public Radio of Armenia
Stepanakert
The peope of Artsakh are voting today on a new draft Constitution,which envisages shift to the presidential form of governance.  280 polling stations have been opened, including one in Yerevan.
About 30 settlements in Artsakh are also choosing their Member of Parliament. The seat of the 108th electoral district was left vacant after Vitaly Balasanyan was appointed National Security Secretary.
More tha 100 observers from 30 countries of the world have arrived in Artsakh to follow the referendum; 103 local observers and more that 80 mass media representatives have registered at the Central Electoral Commission.
On February 20, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Karen Mirzoyan received deputies of the European Parliament, President of the Friendship group with Artsakh in the European Parliament Frank Engel (Luxembourg) and member of the Group Jaromir Stetina (Czech Republic), who are in Artsakh with an observation mission.
At the meeting, the mutual ties with the European Parliament were touched upon. The sides in particular, discussed a range of issues related to the activities of the Friendship group aimed at further strengthening and deepening of bilateral ties.
Vice-Presidents of the National Assemblies of Armenia and Artsakh Edward Sharmazanov and Vahram Balayan, MPs Gagik Melikyan and Alexander Arzumanyan visited the Artsakh frontlines today.
A number of issues related to the situation on the front-line, the conditions of military service and the strengthening of the defensive zone were discussed at a meeting with the command.
Dear compatriots,
On behalf of the Artsakh Republic authorities and on my own behalf, I cordially congratulate you on the Artsakh Revival Day.
February 20 of 1988 entered into the chronology of our people as a crucial and decisive day that heralded the unshakable will of the Artsakh people to live freely and independently. It has become the symbol of national unity and the revival of invincible spirit. A wave of protests against the foreign yoke turned into a national-liberation movement and recreation of our national statehood corresponding to democratic values, principles and norms of international law.
For the sake of our fair struggle brave sons of the Armenian nation sacrificed their lives, carving the heroic pages of the modern Armenian history through their unparalleled courage and brevity. Eternal honor and glory to all the devotees!
During all these years together with our brothers and sisters from Armenia and the Diaspora we are building and developing our dear and beloved Artsakh, defending our ancestral land and hearth, our childrenâs future. We donât violate the rights of other people, but will always protect our own ones.
Dear Artsakh people,
I once again congratulate all of us on this significant holiday and wish peace and great successes to the independent Artsakh Republic and our whole people.
Yerevan supports the idea of creating a free trade zone between the Eurasian Economic Union and Iran, the Armenian foreign minister said.
 Armenia supports actively the possibility of creation of a free trade zone between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Iran, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian told .
“At present, the possibility of creation of a free trade zone between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union which we of course support actively,” Nalbandian said.
Nalbandian noted great perspectives for attracting the Iranian business on Armenian market and stressed that Yerevan and Tehran continued to improve investment opportunities for bilateral cooperation.
“An important step in this process was visa waiver between our countries, what would also deepen bilateral trade and economic relations,” Nalbandian said.