30 Years Ago Today, the People of Artsakh Organized the Independence Referendum: Arayik Harutyunyan

The President of the Republic of Artsakh, Arayik Harutyunyan, has released a statement in which he says:

“Dear compatriots, exactly 30 years ago, on December 10, 1991, under the conditions of military operations and shelling of peaceful settlements, our people organized the Independence Referendum at a high level and charted the path towards achieving our goals. With the Constitution of the Republic of Artsakh adopted in 2006, we reaffirmed our commitment to the values and ideas that form the foundation of our newly independent statehood. Although this thirty-year journey has been challenging and blood-soaked, we have managed to forge and somewhat strengthen our statehood through nationwide efforts, continuing the ideological course of the Artsakh movement.

Despite the peace mediation efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group regarding the peaceful resolution of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijan has repeatedly launched military aggressions against the Republic of Artsakh and its peaceful population, with the aggression in 2020 being the gravest trial for our state and people. Regardless of the extensive human, territorial, material, and moral-psychological consequences it caused, the Republic of Artsakh is standing firm, and the will and resilience of our people on the chosen path of independence remain unshakable. A vivid indicator of this is the existence of approximately 120,000 residents within a short period, the high percentage of security environment assurance, the operations of state institutions and their development efforts, and the recovery of infrastructure and the economy.

It is significant that state bodies not only fulfill their vital powers based on the Constitution and legislation of the Republic of Artsakh, but also, symbolically, today local self-government elections are taking place in two major communities as a small but crucial manifestation of our determination to build the state.

Touching upon the post-war situation and our future actions, I would like to emphasize a few main points:

a) Security. Today, we can state that despite the targeted provocations by Azerbaijan, thanks to the efforts of the Russian peacekeeping force and our Defense Army, relative stability is maintained in Artsakh, which allows us to have a vision for the future and dedicate efforts in that direction. In this regard, I once again wish to express my deep gratitude to all the servicemen standing at the defense lines of the homeland, as well as to all members of the peacekeeping force, and personally to President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation, whose direct efforts have halted the ambitions of the Turkish world in the region and maintain peace.

Considering the Azerbaijani side's extremely destructive and aggressive stance and the uncertainty regarding the final and just resolution of the conflict, the authorities and people of Artsakh believe that the presence of the Russian peacekeeping force in Artsakh should be guaranteed and indefinite until its necessity ceases. In this matter, the needs and opinions of the people of Artsakh should be key factors, as we are the primary stakeholders of the peacekeeping mission.

On the path to ensuring proper security, another important direction is the consistent development of the capabilities and strengths of the Defense Army, taking into account current challenges and the specifics of the situation. In the past year, some tangible work has already been done, and year by year we will improve the effectiveness of our own security mechanisms.

b) Foreign Policy. We will continue to fight for the unconditional recognition of our people's right to self-determination and the return of occupied territories. We are in favor of a peaceful resolution of the conflict, based on the principle of self-determination, whereby the international recognition of the independence of the Republic of Artsakh is our primary and uncompromising goal, which will pave the way for the implementation of the ultimate objectives of the Artsakh movement.

In this regard, we expect unequivocal and lasting support from the entire Armenian nation without hesitation regarding our chosen path.

c) Demography. One of the main guarantees for keeping Artsakh Armenian and resolving the conflict in favor of Armenians is the existence of the Armenian people in their homeland. In this regard, post-war demographic indicators are quite encouraging; however, serious efforts and resources must be involved to achieve the desired results. Accordingly, meeting housing needs is the main issue we have been working on since immediately after the war. Specifically, we have started large-scale construction in various parts of Artsakh and plan to build about 5,000 apartments for displaced persons and other vulnerable groups within three years. This, of course, does not mean that we are giving up our lost homeland, but on the other hand, we understand quite well that the negotiation process in this regard may take a long time, and leaving displaced families to the whims of fate or the notorious experience of keeping them in tent camps is unacceptable for us.

Continuing the theme, I would like to emphasize that the housing problem in Artsakh should receive comprehensive solutions. Therefore, in line with my electoral promise, every family will have its own apartment; however, patience is required to overcome the acute consequences of the war. Nevertheless, in parallel with this process, we will gradually initiate new housing programs aimed at supporting all needy families.

A number of other programs have also started or are being planned to encourage natural and mechanical demographic growth in Artsakh. Nonetheless, this is one of the main directions where pan-Armenian consolidation and extensive and ongoing participation are necessary, given the magnitude of the required resources.

d) Socioeconomic Development. Particularly in the case of significant loss of economic potential due to the war, socioeconomic issues are very acute. Of course, thanks to the support of the government of the Republic of Armenia, the “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund, various charitable organizations, and humanitarian assistance from the Russian government and the ICRC, we have managed to solve many problems; however, institutional solutions are crucial regarding the volumes of the state budget of the Republic of Artsakh for the coming years. I am pleased to note that, thanks to the support from the Republic of Armenia, the spending part of the Republic of Artsakh's state budget for 2022 will amount to approximately 215 billion AMD. For comparison, it should be noted that the 2020 state budget was about 122 billion AMD. This will definitely provide us with the opportunity to solve the important problems before the Government, but much larger resources are needed for the ongoing improvements in the socioeconomic and demographic situations, including in the form of economic investments. Therefore, I expect that all capable pan-Armenian frameworks will directly participate in this crucial direction.

Of course, alongside all this, it will also be essential for us to fully implement free and quality healthcare and education systems. The process began before the war, which continues today and will include new programs in the coming year.

e) Internal Politics. Both before and especially after the war, I have opened the door to collaboration with all political forces, believing that only through joint efforts can we withstand these difficult challenges. In this regard, we have seen visible results, which are largely due to the collaborative environment. Nevertheless, I myself am not satisfied with the level of involvement and participation of all capable public and political forces in the state-building and problem-solving processes of Artsakh, and I plan to initiate a new phase of consultations with all circles in the near future to discuss the possibilities of implementing more effective formats and mechanisms. We will continuously implement reforms in the state governance system to enhance efficiency, transparency, and public accountability.

This is the vision that I and my Government have. The disappointment, mourning, and loss of a significant part of the homeland have caused a decline in moods and uncertainties among us, but my call and exhortation is to quickly rediscover ourselves. I believe that just as nearly 120,000 Armenians now live and create in their homeland, we will, by extending our wings to each other, overcome all problems, successfully face all challenges, and together create new victories.

In conclusion, I once again appeal to all political forces, both parliamentary and extra-parliamentary, all local and pan-Armenian organizations and individuals to set aside all disagreements. The door to cooperation is open to all of you; let us unite for our Artsakh, for the bright future of our people, and for the sacred blood shed by our martyrs, hand in hand build the homeland of our dreams. Ultimately, all authorities are temporary; the values for which we live and fight are permanent…”