The provincial council of the Shirak Province began its final session for the year with an emotional scene. The governor of Shirak, Tigran Petrosyan, presented the sole resident of the Kharkov village, 83-year-old Vahandukht Melkonyan, with a letter of acknowledgment from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
The Kharkov village is separated from the old Armenian capital of Ani by one canyon, but in order to get to the village, one needs to have permission from the Russian border guards. The village itself has emptied, but its sole resident is Vahandukht, who faithfully followed her mother-in-law’s command and did not leave the village.
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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent a letter of acknowledgment to the sole resident of Kharkov saying, “Thank you for your unwavering dedication to your homeland and your tireless, long work.” Those present, the governor of Shirak, and the old woman all became emotional.
Governor Tigran Petrosyan said that changes are expected to be made in the border regime starting next year. When he made this announcement, he barely was able to hide his tears and his voice was shaking with emotion. Vahandukht expressed the hope that the village will be repopulated and built up once again to suit its new name, Norashen (meaning ‘newly built’).
Nune Arevshatyan
