[1] The President of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2005, Arkadi Ghukasyan, was elected in 1997 and re-elected in 2002 and had 2 years remaining on his presidential term.

2005 would be the fourth parliamentary election in Nagorno-Karabakh and was the first under a new electoral law which, among other things, introduced transparent ballot boxes.

However about a hundred non-governmental observers did come to monitor the election, along with a group of deputies from the Russian State Duma.

[1] Azerbaijan said that the election was illegal until Azerbaijanis were allowed to return and that it would undermine their OSCE talks with Armenia over the area.

Free Motherland was expected to mainly side with the government and having a second pro-government party was seen as benefiting the authorities.

[2] One opposition member said with irony that the election had taken place with "fair and transparent irregularities".

[3] Both government and opposition in Armenia praised the election and said it would strengthen the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh.