What Scenario Has Been Planned for Samvel Babayan?

The newspaper "Hraparak" writes: "Former Secretary of the Security Council of Artsakh, Samvel Babayan, recorded a complete fiasco yesterday. He had been preparing for a major rally for months, yet managed to gather only a few hundred people in Stepanakert's square, at best a thousand. Despite the criticism directed at the authorities and threats of taking stringent measures, it is evident that he failed to exert pressure and achieve his goal, which was to be appointed as Prime Minister.

However, the authorities of Artsakh conceded and announced that they would begin consultations with the entire political spectrum. According to some sources, pressure was exerted on the Artsakh authorities from Armenia. Our sources in Artsakh are concerned that after ten days of consultations, Babayan may be appointed Prime Minister, while the current Prime Minister, Gurgen Nersisyan, who has familial ties with Babayan, will return to the position of Attorney General. By the way, the Attorney General's position is still vacant.

It is said that Nikol Pashinyan, who consented to recognize Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan the day before, plans to facilitate Babayan's appointment in an attempt to finalize the process of handing over Artsakh to Azerbaijan.

Various scenarios are already being discussed where, initially, "at the demand of Prime Minister Samvel Babayan," the Azerbaijanis will open the checkpoint, thereby elevating his authority, but many will leave Artsakh. Subsequently, he will demand the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers, arguing that they do not ensure security; then he will grant permission to Azerbaijani companies to exploit Artsakh's mines, justifying that the money will, in any case, end up in Artsakh's budget. Thus, Azerbaijanis will live in Artsakh as hosts, and Artsakh will be completely depopulated.

However, a well-informed source stated that Babayan's appointment as Prime Minister is out of the question, at least as long as Arayik Harutyunyan is in the presidential seat.

For more details, see today's issue of the newspaper.