We Will Not Leave Our Homeland, Regardless of Difficulties: Ruben Vardanyan

The Minister of State of the Republic of Artsakh and Head of the Operational Headquarters, Ruben Vardanyan, has continued his community visits, holding meetings today in the villages of Spitakashen, Haghorti, and Mushkapat in the Martuni region. He was accompanied by Suren Galstyan, the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures of Artsakh, Arthur Harutyunyan, the leader of the 'Free Homeland - KD' faction in the National Assembly of Artsakh, Edik Avanesyan, the head of the Martuni regional administration, and Karen Avetisyan, a representative of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

During the meetings, the Minister spoke about the crisis situation created by Azerbaijan's blockade of Artsakh, its effects, and the efforts being made by the Operational Headquarters, as well as various steps being taken in different areas towards unblocking the region.

The questions from the attendees mainly concerned the situation surrounding Artsakh, the country's security, and its future. In response to these inquiries, Ruben Vardanyan emphasized once again that it is clear to him that all possible means and tools should be used to continue the struggle. 'Struggling does not mean war. Struggling means that we do not agree with the path proposed by Azerbaijan. We will not leave our homeland, regardless of the difficulties we face.'

He reminded those present that international key players have also declared that the issue of Artsakh is not closed. Responding to a question regarding expectations for assistance, the Minister stated that we should not rely on anyone and sit idly by. 'We must first do our own work before expecting help. If you do nothing and only rely on others, nothing will come of it, but if you are fighting and taking action, a completely different situation can arise.'

The participants from Martuni expressed their support for this view and stated that they have no intention of leaving their homeland or abandoning their homes under any circumstances. The meeting also addressed several other issues. The Minister noted that in this situation, it is very important to maintain communication with the population, which is why other members of the Operational Headquarters and members of the National Assembly are also holding meetings in communities.