Azerbaijan Threatens to Invade Syunik, While Government Prepares for Snap Elections: 'Fact'

Azerbaijan's unleashed aggression and Nikol Pashinyan's defeat have disrupted the balance of power in the South Caucasus. In addition to the significant human, material, and territorial losses suffered by the Armenian side, the overall security environment around Armenia and Artsakh has also changed. Numerous communities, especially in Syunik, have become border communities and, in many cases, occupy vulnerable positions, with the enemy just a few meters away. There is simply no guarantee that the enemy will not behave brazenly or resort to provocations at any moment. Remarkably, from the very first moment of the border demarcation process, the residents of these communities have been left alone. It seems the state has washed its hands of the issue, leaving people to negotiate with the enemy themselves or prevent Azerbaijani forces from advancing.

However, this circumstance has not hindered the authorities, who, while sitting comfortably in their chairs, continuously speak about the importance of developing border villages without actually doing anything. Instead of losing time, new homes should have been built for the citizens who lost their houses due to the advancing enemy, new infrastructures created, and large-scale development programs for the newly border communities launched to ensure that the people living there do not simply abandon and leave. Yet, when the authorities are unable to implement even a few simple programs in the border settlements, how can we talk about ensuring the security of the country?

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan has begun the implementation of large-scale projects in the territories captured from Artsakh, such as the construction of inter-state highways and airports, while we cannot even manage to build a few houses in Armenia's border communities and hand them over to residents.

It is no coincidence that the authorities' inaction has led to significant outrage. As early as last December, the people of Syunik blocked the road leading to Goris, preventing Pashinyan from stepping foot in Goris, Kapan, and Meghri. After that, Pashinyan wrote on his Facebook page that he owed a visit to Goris, Kapan, Kajarani, and Meghri. He tried to 'settle this debt' with a covert visit yesterday. As they say, what happened next was quite moving...

It is evident that over time, their incompetence has become more pronounced. For nearly six months, the actions of the authorities have not gone beyond populism, and under these conditions, they still dare to go for elections. It is perhaps notable that Pashinyan, a lover of shows, lives, and likes, is organizing his promised visit to Syunik secretly, without announcing it in advance, already envisioning what kind of reception awaits him from the people of Syunik.

This is a different matter. The worst part is that the enemy, sensing that our authorities are incapable of turning Syunik into a defensive stronghold, is trying to intensify psychological pressure to demoralize the people living there and push them to emigrate. For this reason, Azerbaijani soldiers continue to resort to various types of provocations near the villages in Syunik, specifically firing shots towards the villages of Agarak, Yeghvard, and others. Azerbaijani President Aliyev goes further by declaring that if Armenia does not want to create a Zangezur corridor, they will do it by force. In other words, Azerbaijan threatens to invade Syunik, while we, leaving crucial security issues aside, prepare for snap elections. The authorities are incapable of resolving security issues, yet they have closed the path to forces capable of addressing this issue.