Vitaly Balasanyan

Vitaly Balasanyan (Վիտալի Միխայիլի Բալասանյան, born March 5, 1959), is the secretary of the National Security Council of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, a former presidential candidate and retired Major General.

Biography
From 1977 to 1979 he served in the Soviet Army and subsequently lived and worked in his native Askeran. In February 1988, Balasanyan participated in the first violent incident of the Karabakh conflict, when an Azerbaijani column attempted to march from Agdam and Stepanakert, but was stopped at Askeran with fights breaking out.

In 1990 Balasanyan was elected commander of Askeran region's self-defense and in December 1991 member of the Supreme Council of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. He led the defense of Askeran between 1992 and 1993, in June–July 1993 was a key commander in the Battle of Aghdam and subsequent fighting as commander of the Askeran defense district. In 1997, Balasanyan became the first commander of the newly established Mardakert mountain-rifle division and in 1999 promoted to deputy minister of defense of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in charge of veterans' affairs. Balasanyan earned the rank of major general in 2000 and in 2002 became the 8th person to be awarded the title of Hero of Artsakh.

After the military
Balasanyan retired from the military in 2005 and was elected to NKR National Assembly as a candidate for the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Dashnaktsutyun. From 2007 to 2010 he was an Adviser to the President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan and was re-elected to parliament in 2010. In 2011 he received a degree from the Armenian State University of Economics.

In 2012, Balasanyan was the main challenger to Bako Sahakyan in the 2012 NKR Presidential Elections. He received some 33 percent of the vote. Balasanyan was re-elected to parliament for the fourth time in 2015.

After the start of 2016 Armenian–Azerbaijani clashes he helped coordinate Armenian defense in Askeran direction, where he was previously a commander, rising to social media prominence after a series of interviews.

In July 2016 he mediated in negotiations between Armenian authorities and Sasna Dzrer group, eventually arranging its surrender. His mediation was criticized by the group's imprisoned leader Jirair Sefilian because of Balasanyan's "misinterpretations." Balasanyan was also criticized for his crude treatment of journalists.

In November 2016, Balasanyan was appointed secretary of the National Security Council of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

Links

 * An Interview with Balasanyan
 * Vitaly Balasanyan