Hrant Mikaelyan: Pro-government propagandists spread Anti-Artsakh sentiments

If the Artsakh people knew that they had the opportunity to settle in Armenia, they would not have chosen to emigrate, political scientist and economist Hrant Mikaelyan told Alpha News, referring to the departure of the people of Artsakh from Armenia.

“No decent conditions have been prepared for them. It was impossible to do this because the flow of displaced persons from Artsakh was huge. No preparatory work was conducted. Some people were accommodated in school gyms. Of course, these are not comfortable conditions for families. If the Artsakh people knew that they had the opportunity to settle in Armenia in the future, they would not have chosen to emigrate.

The problem is that they did not see any prospects of staying here. Pro-government propagandists often make accusations against the people of Artsakh and spread anti-Artsakh sentiments. It turns out that, on the one hand, the people of Artsakh are treated well, and, on the other hand, they receive dissatisfaction, accusations, and even hatred,” Milaelyan said.

According to the expert, the people of Artsakh understand that Azerbaijan does not want to stop its aggression against Armenia, which means that in Armenia they are still in danger.

“There is another circumstance; a general settlement strategy has not been developed and is still not being developed, etc. The government is only trying to provide social assistance rather than solve the problem globally. The government should take steps so that the people integrate and do not feel like migrants.

The people of Artsakh understand that Azerbaijan is not going to stop its aggression against Armenia. They fear that they may not be safe in Armenia, especially in Syunik. Therefore, making appeals alone is not a solution. Clear steps must be taken to stop the emigration of Artsakh people from Armenia,” Mikaelyan concluded.