Azerbaijanis Remain in Two-Storey House in Vorotan: Former Resident Not Allowed to Retrieve Belongings

In the Vorotan community of the Syunik region, a two-storey house that once provided jobs for residents has been taken over by Azerbaijanis. Despite initial agreements, the enemy has not permitted the owner to retrieve their belongings from the house. Without warning, they are now occupying the house, enjoying all of its furnishings.

This was reported by Suren Ohanyan, the head of the Vorotan village, in an interview with 'Pastinfo'. Just above this house, there were agricultural companies that were legally provided to the residents with documentation. These orchards were cultivated by two agricultural organizations, which have now also become Azerbaijani.

One of these companies had more than 50 households, while the other had over a hundred orchards, where nearly two dozen buildings and structures of 1-2 storeys were constructed. These were built on lands allotted to individuals by decisions of the Armenian SSR's executive committee.

As a result, Vorotan has lost over 326 hectares of land that were considered private and communal property. Due to the transition of the orchards to the Azerbaijani side, more than a hundred employees of those companies have lost their means of livelihood.

“The governor is informed, the NSS is informed, the Ombudsman has also been present, everyone is aware of the issue. We are waiting for a response from the government regarding compensation. We are talking about land that is our territory; our government and everyone should put in effort to prove that it is ours, that it is our administrative territory, and to reclaim the land,” said Ohanyan.

“So far, we are still waiting. Our cart hasn’t moved from its place. They have been promising but there has been no response yet,” added the village head.

The residents of Vorotan hope that after the demarcation work, they will regain their lands, but currently, Azerbaijanis do not allow any Armenians to enter the area.

“We will see, once the borders are clarified, we will understand whether the land is returned to us or remains theirs. We say that the land is ours; whoever has drawn the maps and done the demarcation must finally provide clarity, as this is a significant issue,” said Ohanyan.

The records and documents of individuals who have lost their homes and orchards in the village have been collected and submitted to the governor's office. The extent of the damage has not yet been assessed.