President of the Republic of Artsakh Samvel Shahramanyan has demanded a public apology from Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan, insisting that he apologize to the forcibly displaced people of Artsakh and refrain from making statements that diminish their struggle and defense of their homeland, the Artsakh Information Headquarters reports.
Shahramanyan also called on Simonyan to clarify his remarks regarding alleged phone calls from Artsakh and requests to open the border.
"Samvel Shahramanyan finds it necessary to once again emphasize that the people of Artsakh did everything in their power to remain in their historical homeland. However, the fight was not limited to the battlefield but also took place in the political and diplomatic arenas—where Alen Simonyan himself has changed his views and positions on key issues for Artsakh and Armenia at different times, based on political and other considerations," the statement reads.
Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan responded to Shahramanyan, suggesting that instead of making public statements, he should submit his concerns through the National Assembly’s letter department, Sputnik Armenia reports.
"Let Shahramanyan first explain how he managed to leave Artsakh with bodyguards while others could not. How did he end up here? And if he has any questions for me, there is a letters department at the National Assembly—he can write to me, and I may or may not respond. There's no need for further interpretation," Simonyan told reporters.
When asked whether he regretted his previous comments, Simonyan stated that he had not made any general remarks about the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.
"Who should I apologize to? I did not say anything general about the people of Artsakh, the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. I spoke specifically about individuals who were not returning from Karabakh but rather moving back to their homes on Northern Avenue—people who had built businesses in Armenia rather than in Karabakh because they did not see a future there. I assure you, those I spoke about understood my words. And as for those who perished, I have already said in parliament: honor and glory to our soldiers from Karabakh, the diaspora, and Armenia," Simonyan stated.
He added that Artsakh officials received salaries from Armenia but gave negative interviews about the Armenian government.
"We paid for their electricity, yet they claimed Armenia did nothing for them. That’s not right. It was wrong to depopulate the region—it’s a painful reality. What I said may not evoke sympathy, but it was the truth," he emphasized.
Regarding naming specific individuals, Simonyan asserted that as a politician, he had both the right and the duty to make such statements and would reveal names when the time was right, though he believed names were unnecessary.
"These are the people who, from day one, wanted to empty Karabakh. Everything I said was correct. We never wanted Karabakh to be depopulated. Yesterday, I was frustrated because a journalist asked me, 'When are we going back?' Karabakh should not have been emptied. Of course, I am not saying women and children should have stayed and been slaughtered—that is not the point. But the narrative they are trying to present to the public won’t work. I am asking: how is it that some individuals, with bodyguards and weapons provided by Armenia, instead of taking up arms and defending Karabakh, instead of making political decisions to keep Karabakh Armenian, decided overnight to evacuate? That is the issue. The desire to empty Karabakh from the very start of the war ultimately led to its depopulation," he declared.
In response to an Artsakh journalist asking when they could return to their homeland, Simonyan said: "You left Artsakh because it was unsafe. Even though you could have stayed and fought, you chose to leave."
