What is the story behind the passports? Hayk Martirosyan presents his theory

Political scientist Hayk Martirosyan writes: “The validity periods of passports are short in only a few severely undemocratic countries around the world, and they almost all pursue the same goal: to keep citizens in dependency, extract money from them, and deprive them of freedom of movement. In Armenia's case, the real motivation behind the proposal of the Pashinyan police is much more vile. The shortening of passport validity is necessary to hand over the remaining part of Artsakh to the enemy within five years at most. This whole passport story is a crucial part of the operation against the people of Artsakh.

This seemingly absurd, unprecedented, but deeply diabolical initiative clearly has a very clear target – the Artsakh people. The people of Artsakh will be offered Azerbaijani passports, while Yerevan will create conditions for them to leave Artsakh and move to the western part of Armenia. Those who do not choose either option will be left without a passport or citizenship. They will likely opt for the offered Russian citizenship and leave Artsakh as well.

If this regime remains, the remaining part of Artsakh under Russian control will inevitably be handed over to Azerbaijan. Various mechanisms will be used for this purpose to lead the local indigenous population out without bloodshed. The regime is playing Baku's game and is guided by its plan. Meanwhile, dissenters and opposition members will be rejected under the pretext of a passport shortage for traveling abroad. History is repeating itself. Stalinist processes are returning to Armenia.”