Alain Simonyan: Preservation of Karabakh state institutions in Armenia is a threat to the country's security

On November 16, Alen Simonyan, the Speaker of Armenia's National Assembly, expressed concern over the preservation of state institutions Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), emphasizing that it poses a direct threat to Armenia's security. Speaking to journalists in the parliament, Simonyan questioned the purpose of maintaining and advancing statehood institutions in the region, framing it as a perilous development that could impact the Republic of Armenia's safety. He called on his colleagues to adopt a similar perspective.

On September 28, Samvel Shahramanyan, the leader of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), issued a decree announcing the termination of its existence effective January 1, 2024, along with the dissolution of all associated state institutions and organizations. The decree's implementation began upon its publication.

However, Shahramanyan clarified on October 20 that the dissolution of state institutions within the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) did not signify the abolition of the republic itself.

The September 28 decree, motivated by the "priority of ensuring the physical security and vital interests of the people of Artsakh," as well as in consideration of an agreement between the NKR and Azerbaijan, led to the dissolution of all state institutions and organizations under their authority.

Addressing the matter, Shahramanyan acknowledged that there were aspects of the document he could not discuss openly but affirmed their awareness of both its positive and negative aspects. He stressed that no document could extinguish the republic created by the people.

Several Armenian political figures also advocate against the dissolution of the self-proclaimed NKR.