Video: The Demarcation for Kiranzi Will Bring Great News, Says Pashinyan

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated during a press conference on May 7 that the demarcation will be a significant positive development for the residents of Kiranzi.

“They said they gave the Church of Voskepar, they said the border would be one meter away from the church entrance. Now there will be a demarcation, and I hope you all will go and light candles at the Voskepar church, pray, and see what the demarcation has provided to the Voskepar church and what it has not,” he said.

Pashinyan also emphasized that “we can now say 100 percent that the Voskepar church is located within Armenia's sovereign territory. There are no issues concerning approaching, entering, or conducting ceremonies related to its activity.”

Addressing concerns regarding property ownership in Kiranzi that would fall under Azerbaijani control, he remarked, “We have not denied anything. I said that, as of now, the demarcation has been carried out in the case of eight or even nine out of twelve points, but there are three points that require more detailed work.”

The Prime Minister explained that the demarcation commission has taken all property certificates into consideration. “All grounds are being removed. That segment will be examined more closely. Every centimeter in these three points is significant. All residents of Kiranzi know which three points they are; I have shown them. There we need to work with centimeter accuracy. I hope that people will duly appreciate the work being carried out.”

On the topic of schools that fall under direct Azerbaijani targeting, Pashinyan mentioned, “Today, the Moses school is also under direct fire; the schools of Berkaber and Aigepar are too. Kiranzi school has been under direct targeting even before the demarcation. Now, if you ask how we can remove the Moses school from this targeting, my answer will be: we conduct demarcation in that segment. Because demarcation is the most civil and lawful way to remove schools from under fire. We are constructing a wall of international law in front of the Kiranzi school.”

He remarked that the demarcation has its inconveniences for these three points in Kiranzi, but “the demarcation will bring about great positive news for Kiranzi, and they know that. We have informed them, shown them, and it will become an important factor socio-economically.”

Pashinyan reiterated his commitment to the residents of Voskepar and Kiranzi, stating, “I have promised the people of Voskepar and Kiranzi in 2020-2021 that if there are issues regarding the demarcation, I will personally come and keep them informed. That promise has been fulfilled.”

Lastly, he addressed Azerbaijan's demand regarding amendments to the Armenian Constitution, stating, “The issue of the Constitution of Armenia is an internal matter. The Constitution does not hinder the implementation of any external obligation. Furthermore, we have agreed that in the peace agreement, neither party can refer to their national legislation to avoid fulfilling obligations assumed under that agreement. The constitutional issue does not relate to that.”

He concluded by expressing that the people in Armenia perceive the law and legality as something foreign: “The people do not have a sense that the rules of living in Armenia have been determined by them. I have come to the conclusion that this is due to the fact that the public understands that all referendums of the Armenian constitution have been falsified.”