‘Because of the Government’s Indifference, the Turk Sits Wherever He Wants’: Mayor of Geghamasar

“No matter whom we blame, in the end, the only ones concerned about our border are us. Today was a military rotation day, and we didn’t want to interfere with the rotation, so we opened the road, giving the authorities time until Saturday,” said Hakob Avetyan, the mayor of Geghamasar, in an interview with LURER.com.

He pointed out that the government pays absolutely no attention to their community of 8,000 residents. “There are many parents of fallen soldiers, participants of the war, and injured here, yet no one addresses their issues. We are ignored by the leadership. There is already disappointment among the people, and they are considering leaving, but I do not want to see an outflow of people from here. We have graves here, houses; we have been refugees once before, and I do not want a second time,” emphasized the mayor.

He stated that if the government does not respond by Saturday, they will organize a larger protest the next day. “It is because of the government’s indifferent attitude that today the Turk sits wherever he wants. They are deliberately weakening the borders. Today we gave the authorities another chance to think: do they have the right to disregard 8,000 residents, or are they obliged to take the residents’ opinions into account?” concluded Hakob Avetyan, adding that if there is no response tomorrow, they will consider that they do not have a government.

It is noteworthy that since early this morning, residents of the Geghamasar community in the Gegharkunik region had blocked the Vardenis-Sotk road due to the decision on the consolidation of communities, which the residents oppose.