VIDEO: 18 Children from Artsakh Unable to Return Home After Participating in Eurovision

18 children who arrived in Yerevan from Artsakh to participate in the "Children's Eurovision" are unable to return home. In an interview with News.am, Aida Gyurjinyan, an advisor to the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Artsakh, explained that they learned yesterday while on their way back to Stepanakert that Azerbaijan has closed the Stepanakert-Goris road.

“We are stuck in a hotel in Goris. The parents are in constant contact and worried about the children, but we are here with them. Although the children have been separated from their parents and education, and their rights have been violated, it's clear that Azerbaijan cannot tolerate the participation of Artsakh children in even an international children's competition. However, small Artsakh ensured that the children could participate so they could witness this wonderful event. But it turned out that on the way back, they closed the children's route,” Gyurjinyan said.

The children remaining in Goris are aged between 11 to 17 years, selected for the "Children's Eurovision" after winning various subject olympiads. In Stepanakert, 11-year-old Yulya's parents, sisters, and brother remained, while 13-year-old Ani's family is also in Artsakh.

“The terrorist Azerbaijanis did not allow our joy to last to the end, as always disrupted it, and now they keep us here in good conditions, but with our homeland in danger, all this is meaningless. Our relatives are in Artsakh, and we are here,” said one of the children.

It is recalled that a group of Azerbaijani individuals in civilian clothing has closed the Stepanakert-Goris highway again, citing environmental reasons, since December 12 at 10:30 AM. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Artsakh also reported that hundreds of citizens were stranded on the Lisagor-Shushi and Stepanakert-Shushi roads.