Residents of Voskepar Expel EU Observers Amid Heated Dispute

The newspaper "Hraparak" reports: "Recently, EU observers visited Voskepar in Armenia. Notably, they reached Voskepar by bypassing several sections of the Yerevan-Noyemberyan road, accessing the area via Alaverdi.

We learned that the residents of Voskepar rushed to meet the observers upon hearing about their visit. However, when the observers stated that they had circled around the Ijevan-Voskepar road because they considered that area and nearby territories to be Azerbaijani, a heated argument ensued between the residents and the EU observers. The Voskepar residents expelled the observers, insisting that they would not allow their homeland to be considered Azerbaijani.

We were also informed that the residents had a similar discussion with the commander of the Army’s Third Corps, Garegin Poghosyan, urging him to convey to his political leadership that the people of Voskepar would not permit land from Tavush to be surrendered.

Garnik Danielyan, a deputy originally from the Tavush region, told us yesterday that he had also heard about the harsh conversation between the observers and the Voskepar residents; however, he was unaware of the meeting with the corps commander. "I have also been contacted and informed that during the meeting with the observers the people expressed themselves strongly. They are very emotional; you cannot imagine," he said. Were the observers meeting with the residents? "As far as I know, someone received information that they were taking a different route, they went and met people, but I intend to make an official inquiry into how they consider our road Azerbaijani," the deputy remarked," the publication wrote.