Kocharyan says authorities pushing Artsakh Armenians to leave

Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan on Monday accused the authorities of creating conditions that discourage forcibly displaced Artsakh Armenians from remaining in Armenia, as he campaigned in the country's Gegharkunik Province.

Speaking at a meeting with residents in the village of Dprabak, Kocharyan, who is the prime ministerial candidate of the Hayastan bloc in the upcoming parliamentary elections, criticized a policy of closing rural schools under the guise of new construction projects.

A resident raised concerns about the construction of a new school in Aghavnavank for what he said was a population of only 20 to 30 people, despite the facility being designed for 300 to 400 students.

"They will close this school, then another one, then another one," Kocharyan said. "In our program, we have clearly stated that school construction should not be used as a reason to shut other schools down. If you build one school in order to close five others, that is simply unacceptable."

During the meeting, a displaced Artsakh Armenian asked about housing problems faced by refugees who fled their homes after Azerbaijan's military takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023.

Kocharyan said Armenia could resolve the housing issues of displaced Karabakh Armenians within two to three years.

"My impression is that everything is being done so that you do not stay here," he said.