«Karabakh Telecom» Demands Payments from Artsakhtsis for October-December

Armenian economist and representative of business circles, Armine Avagimyan, posted on her Facebook page: “Many have undoubtedly heard from mass media about the speech of the President of the Republic of Artsakh at the very beginning of the military actions, regarding the fact that, guided by the law on the ‘Legal Regime of Martial Law’ in Artsakh, by Decree No. NH-325-A of the President of the Republic of Artsakh dated October 2, 2020, the management powers of ‘Karabakh Telecom’ CJSC were entrusted to the state, establishing that until January 1, 2021, all telecommunications services in Artsakh would be free.

However, I want to inform you that starting from February 1, 2021, messages about overdue bills have been sent by ‘Karabakh Telecom’ CJSC to Artsakhtsi subscribers with astronomical amounts for debts incurred in October, November, and December 2020. And already on February 10 of this year, they disconnected the lines of those subscribers who had not settled those debts, including my own phone number. ‘Karabakh Telecom’ CJSC explained to me that the aforementioned privilege only applies to individuals, and not legal entities or individual entrepreneurs, that is, to business entities.

I would like to note that the announcement made by the President of Artsakh on October 2, 2020, did not mention any distinction between individuals and legal entities, stating that services would be free exclusively for individuals, and that legal entities and individual entrepreneurs would pay 100% for communications services. In fact, we all are well aware that during those wartime days, any citizen of the Republic of Artsakh, regardless of their legal status, made calls for humanitarian purposes, as well as for the import, acquisition, transportation, and so on, of certain goods of military importance, in short, to support the Artsakh Armenians and the Armenian army.

Considering the above, I demand to zero out the debts of approximately 15,000 legal entities and individual entrepreneurs registered and operating in Artsakh for the period from September 27, 2020, to January 1, 2021, as was initially declared in the speeches of the Artsakh President on October 2, 2020, and corresponding decisions were made.

I call on all legal entities and individual entrepreneurs registered and operating in Artsakh not to make payments for the debts incurred to ‘Karabakh Telecom’ CJSC for October, November, and December 2020. Stand up for your rights, reject deception, and become claimants so that the promises made become a reality.

Compatriots, if we have decided to once again engage in the work of building our Homeland, then popularity in Artsakh has no place, and every word must turn into action; there is simply no other alternative.

P.S. I would like to note that the debt incurred on my phone line attached to the Individual Entrepreneur (IE) does not exceed 9,000 dram, and my personal financial interest in the matter raised is zero.