Regarding Ruben Vardanyan, the interests of the Artsakh elite, Azerbaijani, and Armenian authorities coincided. Like in other cases, I do not believe in the universal conspiracy theory. It is in the interests of Azerbaijan that a person with material resources and international connections does not influence Artsakh. The approaches of the Artsakh elite are more “secular.”
Over 30 years, a system was created there, which on the one hand, abundantly benefits from the funds of the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian people; on the other hand, the control of these funds is weaker than even in the Republic of Armenia. Vardanyan could and was trying to change that “situation,” which was not beneficial for many. (But, regardless of the person, control should be tightened. Unfortunately, this blockade is not the last test of Artsakh). The Armenian authorities are afraid that Vardanyan could ever be their rival. That’s why our leaders, through all kinds of propagandists, present Vardanyan as an emissary of Russia, agreeing with Aliyev and not bringing any evidence in favor of that claim.
But any event should be evaluated not so much by its motives but by its consequences. What will the dismissal of Vardanyan do? One of the CP “strategists” claims that this is the price for which Azerbaijan will not demand the “Zangezur Corridor.” Some say that thanks to this, the corridor of Berdzor will be opened and never be closed again. Some people go further and imply that thus Azerbaijan will accept the sovereignty of Artsakh. President Araik Harutyunyan’s decision is justified and welcomed if at least one of those assumptions is correct. But it is unlikely that this is possible.
There is also the opposite extreme: that’s it, everything is lost, Artsakh will be depopulated from tomorrow, and there is no hope. That’s worse than false, perhaps propaganda-tinged “optimism.” The struggle of our people (more precisely, the conscious part of the people) is not determined by the current interests of various players, political conspiracies, and conjuncture. You need to understand that the struggle for Artsakh to remain Armenian is equal to a struggle for the existence of the Republic of Armenia. Thousands of Armenians in Armenia, Artsakh, and the Diaspora understand this. The remaining disagreements are not important.
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Aram Abrahamyan
