On January 8, representatives of the National-Democratic Pole (Bever) held a meeting in Gyumri under the title “Blockade for the sake of de-blockade,” trying to block the 102nd Russian military base. They demanded that the Russian peacekeepers fulfill the tripartite agreement’s duties and open the Berdzor corridor.
In their posters and appeals, they called Russia an enemy country and noted that Putin’s Russia, flirting with Turkey, starves the people of Artsakh. They stated that we should leave the CSTO and stop being hopelessly pro-Russian because our ally is not fulfilling its responsibilities.
“We have the right to close the entrance to the base; we have the right to demand that the Russians finally, at least after 200 years, remember their so-called allied duties. The Turks blocked the way.
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For those who said that the Russians have nothing to do with it, let them tell that fairy tales to their grandmothers and grandfathers in their homes.
The Russians closed the asphalted and secondary road from Stepanakert to Goris, which is not asphalted. Let me also say that where there are no Azerbaijanis at all, the so-called Russian peacekeepers blocked that road. So there are no simpletons here. Those who protect the Russians are not simpletons either; they understand deep down that all this is the work of the Russians. They are afraid to be here today or are enslaved people; they are Russian agents who have left everything behind to protect the Russians. We want to close the entrance in the part where we will not disturb the work of the psychiatric hospital and the restaurant,” said Vahe Gasparyan, a member of the Council of the National Democratic Alliance.
The attempt of the National Democratic Pole to besiege the military base received a rather harsh response from the opposition figures. Karapet Poghosyan, human rights defender from Gyumri, referring to this gathering, wrote: “Following their actions and rhetoric, I can state the following: They are trying to blame the entire situation on the Russian Federation. Observing e their organization (financial, bringing people from different places) and the goal of reaching and provoking the doors of the military unit in any possible way, and the silent agreement of the government officials, it can be confidently stated that a provocation is taking place with Pashinyan’s knowledge.”
Eduard Sharmazanov, a member of the General Assembly of the RPA, also referred to the attempts to blockade the military base. “You are not anti-Russian, but pro-Turkish. Any provocation against the 102nd Russian military base stems from Turkish-Azerbaijani interests. Such actions are unacceptable and condemnable. It is a direct blow, first of all, to the security interests of Armenia. It is doubly reprehensible to play regime games. Nicole, why don’t you make a sound? You announced that you are “the most pro-Russian government.” You are neither pro-Russian nor pro-Armenian. You are a pro-Turkish regime, and that’s it. Tomorrow if Erdogan and Aliyev need, you and your “clients” will become “pro-Russian” again.
Human rights activist Avetik Ishkhanyan, calling the NDP representatives “HEROES” with quotation marks, wrote: “The terrorist group called NDP “heroically” besieges the Russian military base in Gyumri, demanding to open the Berdzor corridor. Anyone with a basic knowledge of political science realizes that Russian peacekeepers and the military base in Gyumri have entirely different functions. The first is to ensure the security of Artsakh and the obligations to maintain neutrality between the parties, and the second is as a military base of Armenia’s ally to safeguard the security of Armenia in case of a possible attack by Turkey. I don’t think the organizers do not understand this elementary truth: Of course, they understand. In that case, a question arises: What is the purpose of this “heroic” action? As a first step, the goal is to remove the Russian peacekeepers from the conflict zone and to depopulate Artsakh because, in 2020, they didn’t fully implement their plan. The second step, remove the Russian military base from Gyumri and make Armenia an underfoot ground for Turkey. It can be firmly stated that the closure of the Berdzor corridor and the siege of the Gyumri military base were organized by the same center.
Interestingly, these same “heroes” once marched to Artsakh and “heroically” captured the PPS regiment. In 2020, they did not take up arms and did not participate in the war and not rebel later. But today, instead of attacking the Azerbaijani “environmentalist,” their sympathizers, and opening the Berdzor corridor, they are organizing actions that are safe for them, on order.”
Nune AREVSHATYAN
