Zhanna Andreasian's Opinion on Nzhdeh Remains Unchanged: 'Hraparak'

For several days, the social media was buzzing with Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports Zhanna Andreasian's 2012 interview about Nzhdeh. She stated, 'That Nzhdehian ideology is essentially fascist ideology... it is truly very dangerous for us as a society in the 21st century, because it is based on an aggressive conception towards the world, closing ourselves off from the world, and the obsession with defining our superiority over other societies. If we strip away all the pretty words and leave its skeleton, this is, in fact, the skeleton. It is very dangerous.'

The video sparked a significant uproar, with young people protesting against her during her visit to Artsakh, carrying placards. According to our information, amidst the heated uproar, Zhanna Andreasian was suggested to declare that the interview was old, that she was young at the time, and that she did not think the same way today in order to calm the situation, but she refused, stating, 'I still think the same way about Nzhdeh and Nzhdehian ideology—I will not make any statements.'

We contacted the Deputy Minister to ask if she still held the same views, and whether she still insists that it is a fascist ideology. After hearing the question several times, she urged us to direct our question through the spokesperson. This was despite the fact that she could have simply answered 'yes' or 'no.' The spokesperson informed us that the Deputy Minister does not comment on that question.