‘The Armenian Government is Pursuing Anti-Armenian Policies’ - Vitaly Balasanyan

The presidential candidate of Artsakh, hero of Artsakh, and General Vitaly Balasanyan continued his campaign meetings in the villages of the Askeran region on March 5. Today, he was in the communities of Patara, Khantsk, Dahrav, Astghashen, and Hovsepayan. As in previous meetings, the main concern raised here was the security of Artsakh.

‘The issue of Artsakh has never been solved by military means and will not be solved. Our people have deep roots on this land, and the powers of the world that act in the context of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity will not succeed. I regret to say, but recently, especially in the last 1.5 years, the political line pursued by the political authorities of the Republic of Armenia must be acknowledged as an anti-Armenian policy. There is also my omission here, on behalf of the Artsakh Republic,’ Balasanyan declared.

He reassured voters once again that he will continue to be a devoted soldier of his clan and nation, serving and continuing to serve Artsakh and Armenia. ‘We will continue to fight and not allow the resolution of political issues in a way that is unfavorable to Armenians. That 12,000 square kilometers is ours both historically and legally. We must present facts to both the Azerbaijani authorities and other countries – historical evidence that our homeland is greater than those 7 regions. Legally, these territories belong to us and will be our own. We will not allow our lands to become objects of speculation. I am convinced that all Armenians share my views,’ Balasanyan emphasized, recalling his and his team’s motto: ‘Victory is not for sale.’

March 5 is also the birthday of Major General Vitaly Balasanyan, and using this opportunity, he once again pledged in front of his fellow citizens to be a loyal soldier, fighting for the security and safety of Artsakh and Armenia. ‘I want to be sincere: I have never left the trench and I will not leave it; I will serve and continue to serve my people. I will be in the trenches when danger threatens Artsakh and Armenia. Today, once again on my birthday, I vow in the name of my 5 grandchildren and all our little ones to serve our country honorably,’ said Balasanyan.

During the Q&A with villagers, Balasanyan also addressed the statements regarding the resettlement of the Azerbaijani community, noting that any step threatening the safety of Artsakh people will be halted. ‘Let us unite once again, do not let anyone divide us, let us not allow this. In a short time, let’s consolidate our forces, engage and get out of this situation quickly. Since the February days of 1988, our region has been unique in that it quickly united, formed a unity, created an army, and sent it to the front. With minimal losses, we achieved great successes. Let us repeat our victory,’ Balasanyan urged.

At the end of the meeting, he received numerous congratulations on the occasion of his birthday.