Deciding Against the Holiday Tree: Artsakh Citizens Demand Removal of Anna Hakobyan's Foundation Installation

In Stepanakert today, December 25, citizens raised significant concerns about a Christmas tree and tents set up in the yard of a hotel for a year-end event. These installations are being dismantled at the citizens' request.

“I came early, saw that a Christmas tree was installed, we checked who organized it, called the organizers, who had been commissioned to set it up, and the mayor also came. We requested a peaceful dismantling, and at this moment the tree has already been taken down,” Marat Ghahramanyan, a resident of Stepanakert, told NEWS.am.

Davit Ghahramanyan, an actor at the Vahram Papazyan State Dramatic Theatre in Stepanakert and a photographer for the Artsakh Information Staff, shared that he was contacted the day before and offered money to photograph the event, but he refused. It was during this time that he learned that the event was being organized by the 'My Step' foundation founded by Anna Hakobyan, the wife of the Prime Minister.

“Five minutes ago, when they were just setting everything up, some friends informed me that Anna Hakobyan is organizing a concert. I didn’t take it seriously; I thought they wouldn’t do something like that. But late last night, I was called from Yerevan about a concert happening for two days and to come take pictures. I asked who was organizing it, and the person I spoke with confirmed it was Anna Hakobyan. That’s when I understood it was serious. But this is not the time for such events; the parents of the missing are grieving, and it’s quite mocking to hold a concert now. The children are small and don’t understand. For instance, Aurora is giving out gifts now instead of a concert program. And we are also against Anna Hakobyan coming — I will specifically oppose her coming to Artsakh,” said Davit Ghahramanyan.

Today, at 1:00 PM, citizens in Artsakh organized a protest at the site of the event preparation, at the 'Valex Garden' hotel, stating: “I am against the New Year children's event organized by Anna Hakobyan from December 26 to 27. The traitor has no right to set foot on my wounded, remnants of Artsakh. We will celebrate New Year with our children without your dirty gifts.”

Davit Ghahramanyan announced that they plan not only to demand the cancellation of the event but also to close the free canteen organized by the 'My Step' foundation and start a similar initiative with state support instead. “We will give them a few hours to take down the tree from there and set up a project in lieu of the canteen. For me, it’s humiliating, as I am confident treason has occurred. I have been a photographer in various places during the war and have seen a lot, and it is the government that is responsible for all of this,” he noted.

As of now, we have not received a comment from the 'My Step' foundation.