Nagorno-Karabakh Government To Be Dissolved

With the official decree of Samvel Shahramanyan, President of the government known as Artsakh, the Republic of Artsakh will no longer exist from January 1, 2024. Shahramanyan signed the decree for measures emerging from the ongoing circumstances.

After September 19, 2023, and the current difficult military and political conditions, ensuring the physical security and vital interests of the people of Artsakh have turned into a serious priority.

According to the agreement reached with the mediation of the Russian peacekeeping forces, along with the presence of representatives of the Republic of Azerbaijan, free and voluntary travel without obstacles for the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh region, including military personnel who have laid down their weapons, is guaranteed along the Lachin corridor, while moving their belongings and vehicles. According to Article 93 of the Constitution of Nagorno-Karabakh, the following decisions have been made:

1. All government institutions and organizations will dissolve their subordinate offices by January 1, 2024, and the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) will no longer exist.

2. The population of Nagorno-Karabakh, including residents outside the Artsakh Republic, will become familiar with the conditions for reintegration presented by the Republic of Azerbaijan in order to make an independent and individual decision regarding the acceptance of Azerbaijani citizenship and the possibility of returning to Nagorno-Karabakh.

This resolution is immediately binding after publication, and no decision has been made yet regarding the dissolution of the separatist parliament.

Contradictory news is also being published by the Nagorno-Karabakh media center. The Artsakh Information Center (official media of the separatists) continues its activities and it claims that Samuel Shahramanian was forced to take the decision to dissolve the Artsakh government; so, they do not comply with the decision. This media center had also published images of police cars and Azerbaijani army trucks entering the city of Khankendi or Stepanakert.

This media outlet has also reported that a truck carrying fuel for Russian forces collided with passing vehicles on the Shushi-Berdzor highway, and two vehicles belonging to Armenian people who were leaving Artsakh region were burned down. Independent reports on the casualties and damages of the incident have not been published so far.