State-building in Nagorno-Karabakh and Abkhazia: comparative perspective

Abstract

The aim of this Master’s essay is to study the state-building process in two de facto states Abkhazia and Nagorno Karabakh since the cease-fire establishment. The research reviews what these unrecognized states have achieved so far since their de facto independence in terms of state-building. The essay provides theoretical background on the state-building and starts to analyze the process from very beginning to see the dynamics and developments during these years. The research is concentrated on the main state institutions such as executive, legislative and judicial, election institution and state functions that are hindered due to lack of recognition, such as security, trade and investments. The study also refers to Armenia and Russia as states that are considered as parent states for Nagorno Karabakh and Abkhazia respectively. Reference to parent states helps to see to what extent these de facto states are able to function independently as a state and shows that the state institutions are mainly driven by internal motivation and capacity and the provision of state functions is mainly supported by parent states, as the unrecognized states are isolated from international state system and community and lack the capacity to rely only on their selves.