Change of Official Language in Artsakh Lacks Justification and Necessity: Mane Tandilyan

The Minister of Labor, Social Affairs and Migration of Artsakh, Mane Tandilyan, made a post on Facebook addressing the proposal to grant the Russian language official status in Artsakh.

Tandilyan specifically stated: “Artsakh is Armenian and will live in Armenian. The change of the official language has no justification or necessity. The Armenians living in Artsakh, as well as those living in Armenia, communicate in foreign languages as desired and necessary, including officials. The basis of the official language is the nationality of the people living in that state. Discussing the language issue in Artsakh, as one of the most ethnically homogeneous countries in the world, is akin to discussing the Armenian identity of the Artsakh people. I speak Russian with Russians, and English with English speakers. I would like to know other languages too. Knowing languages is about you, while the official language belongs to the country. Learn languages, but at the same time, it is not necessary to trample on your own identity and dignity. Our decades of failures should not be enshrined in law, preventing future generations from correcting our mistakes.”