Author: Emil Lazarian

YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: On January 29, at the gathering marking the 17th anniversary of the founding of Artsakh’s [(Nagorno-Karabakh)] ruling Free Homeland Party, the party’s founder, AR [(Artsakh Republic)] President Arayik Harutyunyan—who terminated [his] membership [in the] after the war [in the fall of 2020]—, told his supporters [that] those who became members in the party for him were free as of today because he has no political plans, and he will leave politics after the constitutional amendments.

[But] this statement was not accepted unequivocally in the political field.

Now, the ring around him has been tightened again. On the one hand, [Armenia’s PM Nikol] Pashinyan wants to get rid of [him]. On the other hand, a process of constitutional amendments is underway [in Artsakh], and Arayik Harutyunyan’s [aforesaid] statement made a few days ago, according to Artsakh sources, is aimed at gaining time.

In parallel, they are spreading rumors that the former presidents and generals of Artsakh are forming a new political force in order to vie for taking power in the upcoming snap elections.

We are talking about [ex-Presidents] Bako Sahakyan and Arkadi Ghukasyan, as well as [Generals] Levon Mnatsakanyan, Arshavir Gharamyan, and others. According to our source, they will not appear in their face. Political consultations have already begun.

A special commission has been set up in Azerbaijan to destroy Armenian cultural heritage.

The minister of culture of Azerbaijan, Anar Karimov, told local media that this commission comprises specialists who know the history, culture, and writing of Albania.

“Armenians have left traces on our monuments. Now we are gathering evidence in this regard,” Karimov said, continuing the Azerbaijani authorities’ policy of “Albanian” affiliation of Armenian churches in.

“Work is being done in this regard with international experts in the field of Albanian Studies, it is planned to invite them to Azerbaijan. As you know, we cannot go to those areas for security reasons. In the next phases, we will go—with local and international experts—to the areas where the Armenianized Albanian monuments are located, all the facts will be documented and presented to the international community,” the aforesaid Azerbaijani minister said.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani authorities categorically refuse to allow UNESCO representatives to enter Armenian territories under their control. The reasons are obvious: the Azerbaijani side needs time to falsify the “evidence.”

The leader of Turkey’s nationalist Great Unity Party (BBP) stated that Turkey should posit two preconditions for the normalization of relations with Armenia.

BBP chairman Mustafa Destici claimed that Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) has not been “completely liberated” yet, and that Armenia should hand over those territories, too, and stop the work toward the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, Haberler reports.

Destici added that if these preconditions are not met, Turkey should freeze the process of normalization of relations with Armenia.

The Armenian National Congress Party received an appeal from Vahagn Khachaturyan, Minister of Hi-Tech Industry and presidential candidate of the ruling Civil Contract party.

The candidate, in particular, asked to terminate his membership in the party.

The Armenian National Congress party granted his request.

To recall, Armenian President Armen Sarkisian announced his resignation on January 23.