Armenian Delegation to Skip the 'Slavский Bazar 2024' International Contest in Belarus

In light of the Armenian Prime Minister's announcement regarding the suspension of official relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Belarus, the official Armenian delegation has decided not to travel to Belarus and will not participate in the prestigious annual international contest 'Slavский Bazar 2024,' which will take place from July 8-18 this year.

This information was conveyed by the head of the official Armenian delegation to the 'Slavский Bazar' contest, Vrezh Kirakosyan, who is also the director of the Charles Aznavour State College of Culture and Arts in Yerevan.

“All peoples of the world are united by one language—culture—and thus, it is impossible to underestimate the Armenian-Belarusian cultural relations developed over the years. We are hopeful that the current political situation will resolve through love and harmony in the near future, enabling the continuation of friendly relations between our two nations,” Kirakosyan stated.

It is worth noting that this year, the Armenian representatives at the 'Slavский Bazar' contest included the award-winning singer Susan Melkonyan and 9-year-old Yana Stepanyan. Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced from the parliamentary podium that neither he nor any official representative of Armenia would visit Belarus as long as President Alexander Lukashenko remains in power. This announcement was based on Lukashenko's previous statements regarding the 44-day war in Nagorno-Karabakh and his encouragement of Azerbaijan.