Abrahamyan: The Comment is Unconvincing Regarding the Statement by the Artsakh Prime Minister

Responding to the video circulated by Azerbaijanis, which shows how Armenians pass through the Azerbaijan checkpoint located on the Hakari River, undergoing passport checks and vehicle inspections, the Prime Minister of Artsakh stated that upon returning to their residential area from Armenia, they encountered Azerbaijanis at the checkpoint. The Azerbaijanis, putting our citizens in a hopeless situation, forced them to comply with their demands and filmed the process as another staged display.

This was stated by Tigran Abrahamyan, a member of the 'I Have Honor' faction in the National Assembly. I must say right away that the Prime Minister's comment is unconvincing, particularly because for a week now, thousands of materials, videos, and photo series related to the illegal checkpoint set up by Azerbaijanis have been circulating in the press and social media, and it is unlikely that the citizens traveling through that area were unaware of it beforehand.

Moreover, and most importantly, upon entering Artsakh from Armenia, Artsakh police are stationed before the Azerbaijani checkpoint, while Armenian border troops are stationed in the nearby areas, ensuring border protection and are naturally aware of the situation.

All of this indicates that the issue lies not with the Artsakh residents caught in the Azerbaijani trap but with the authorities of Artsakh, without whose permission or consent it is impossible for individuals registered in Artsakh or Armenia to pass to Artsakh or through the corridor section where the Azerbaijani checkpoint is located.

The authorities of Artsakh, and in this case, specifically the president, must clarify what agreement or political decision led to this process, as it is going to become a bargaining chip for Azerbaijanis to 'justify' in international platforms that the corridor is supposedly open, there is no blockade, and that Artsakh residents are ready to live within the framework of Azerbaijani laws.