Businessman Ruben Vardanyan has been dismissed from the post of State Minister of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR). NKR Prosecutor General Gurgen Nersisyan has been appointed to this position. This was announced by the head of the republic Araik Harutyunyan at a meeting of the parliament.
"I am grateful to Mr. Vardanyan for the fact that he always tried to share responsibility with me as much as possible, both in friendly and collegial relations, and did not try to shift it to me, referring to constitutional norms. But, on the other hand, he was aware and understood the scale and degree of my personal responsibility for the situation and further problems", - Harutyunyan said.
He also noted the work done by Vardanyan in raising international awareness of the situation in the NKR and the many solved problems during the blockade of the region by Azerbaijan. The head of the republic also expressed hope that the former prime minister will remain in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The NKR President also stated his readiness to establish a dialogue with Azerbaijan, but stressed that there can be no talk of integration of the region.
"Artsakh (the Armenian name for Nagorno-Karabakh) will never give up its sovereignty, and there can be no question of integration with Azerbaijan. Any process outside the logic of protecting this right is unacceptable, as it will lead to ethnic cleansing of the people of Artsakh by Azerbaijan", - Harutyunyan stressed.
Prior to his arrival in the NKR, Vardanyan renounced his Russian citizenship, and on November 4 was appointed to the post of Minister of State of the Republic at the invitation of Harutyunyan. Earlier, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at a panel discussion with the participation of the Prime Ministers of Armenia and Georgia in Munich that Baku is ready to negotiate with representatives of the Armenian community who were born and have lived in Karabakh all their lives. Vardanyan, according to the Azerbaijani leader, is "a person introduced from Russia".
"According to available information, Vardanyan's resignation was also one of the conditions for unblocking the Lachin corridor, which has been blocked since December 12, 2022".
As Kommersant notes, in December 2022, Azerbaijan demanded Vardanyan's resignation, calling him an "alien element" for the region. Baku stressed that the businessman's activity "hinders the reintegration of the local population". Vardanyan himself rejected Azerbaijan's demands, stressing that he does not obey Baku, local media reports.
