Former speaker accuses Armenian government of using Artsakh issue as 'bargaining chip'

Former Speaker of Armenia’s National Assembly Tigran Torosyan has accused the country’s leadership of abandoning Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and exploiting the issue for "questionable" political aims.

Speaking at parliamentary hearings hosted by the Artsakh Representation in Yerevan on Wednesday, Torosyan streessed the people of Nagorno-Karabakh had faced ethnic cleansing following Azerbaijan’s 2023 military offensive, which forced its ethnic Armenian population to flee their homes.

“The Artsakh issue has been abandoned in the realm of international politics. The Armenian authorities have transformed from guarantors of Artsakh's security into leaders of an anti-Artsakh front, aiming to push Artsakh into obscurity and use it as a bargaining chip to achieve their questionable objectives,” he said.

Torosyan also criticized the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group dealing with the conflict, saying it had occurred “in blatant violation of international law” and without the consent of Karabakh Armenians, whom he described as a principal party to the conflict.

According to him, Armenia currently lacks political tools to defend its interests in a rapidly changing global environment marked by “intensifying geopolitical confrontation”.

He said individual activists and groups were working to keep the Artsakh issue alive but called for broader coordination and support from Armenia and the diaspora. Torosyan added that Karabakh Armenians "must become the owners and front-runners of their cause”.

The hearings dedicated to Constitution Day opened with the Artsakh anthem and a prayer.