NKR Celebrates 23rd Anniversary of Independence

STEPANAKERT– On Tuesday Sept. 2, the Republic of Nagorno Karabagh (NKR) celebrated its 23rd anniversary of independence. NKR President Bako Sahakyan, accompanied by an official delegation from Armenia including President Serge Sarkisian, visited the Stepanakert memorial to pay tribute to those who lost their lives during the Artsakh war.

At the memorial, President Sarkisian placed flowers on the tomb of Artur Mkrtchyan , who was the First Chairman of the Republic Supreme Council.. That was followed by a march to Rebirth Square.

NKR President Bako Sahakyan, accompanied by an official delegation from Armenia including President Serge Sarkisian, visited the Stepanakert memorial to pay tribute to those who lost their lives during the Artsakh war.
NKR President Bako Sahakyan, accompanied by an official delegation from Armenia including President Serge Sarkisian, visited the Stepanakert memorial to pay tribute to those who lost their lives during the Artsakh war.

Sarkisian arrived in Stepanakert on Sunday, Aug. 31. He began his trip by visiting businesses in Stepanakert and in the Southeastern Martuni district. The following day, Sarkisian and Sahakyan jointly inaugurated a newly rebuilt school in a Northwestern Karabagh village, and attended the opening of a geology museum in Shushi.

The Press Office of the President of Armenia did not state whether the President would visit the line of contact as he usually does when he visits.

President Sarkisian congratulated the independence of Artsakh. He said, “I congratulate you on the Independence Day of Nagorno-Karabagh. You managed to found and build a state through the support of the entire nation and, first of all, owing to your unyielding will, superhuman efforts, and enormous sacrifices (…) We are not by far the only ones to admire the furtherance of democracy, the cultural and educational progress, as well as the pace of economic growth in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Artsakh has already demonstrated to the world and themselves that they are civilized enough to build a powerful and prosperous statehood.”

“The war imposed on us and the frequent provocations along the borders are nothing compared to the powerful spirit that has been guiding the people of Artsakh and Armenians all over the world,” added Sarkisian.

This year’s celebrations were symbolic, as July saw a high number of casualties that reportedly claimed as many as 50 Azeri casualties and six Armenians.

Fiona Guitard

Fiona Guitard

Fiona Guitard is a French journalist. She earned a B.A. degree in French Literature and Communication, and an M.A. in Social Science and Humanities from La Sorbonne University. Involved in human rights, her writings also focus on politics, arts, and social and gender issues. Guitard interned for the Armenian Weekly in 2014, and currently contributes to the paper from France.
Fiona Guitard

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4 Comments

  1. {“How do we expect Baku to accept the independence of Artsakh if Armenia hasn’t accepted it yet?”} (comment by poster from another thread).

    Apparently the President of RoA attending official Independence day celebrations in Artsakh implies “…..hasn’t accepted yet”.
    btw: DM of RoA, and also oftentimes the Pres of RoA, are regularly present at military exercises and maneuvers by NKR Army.
    DM of NKR participates in all important military events and meetings in Yerevan: I guess that must mean RoA has ‘accepted’ NKR then ?

    Regarding the picture:

    A picture is worth a 1000 words, as they say. A beautiful portrait, with Armenian tricolors, Armenian military brass, so many Armenians in Karabagh…..it’s a miracle. Upon assuming power in June 1992, Musavat-oglu invadonomad Abulfaz Elchibey boasted: “If there is a single Armenian left in Karabagh this October, Azeris will hang him in Baku’s Central Square”

    (the biped Canis Lupus fled to occupied Nakhichevan to avoid being hanged himself in Baku by his nomad buddies, who blamed him for the massive defeats Armenians were inflicting on his invadonomad Einsatzgruppen).

    One thing with the picture though: I wish RoA and NKR soldiers would ‘retire’ the raised leg marches and the jackboots; it is so anachronistic.And nothing to do with our Armenian history or traditions.

    Apparently habits are hard to break: legacy from Soviet days.
    The sad part is that Soviets copied it from very bad people, after WW2.

  2. Artsakh has truly been an amazing story over the past 23 years. This courageous and perseverant little country has overcome all the odds against it; and with its enormous heart, has vehemently shown the world that it’ll do anything to preserve its independence. The most recent example of this, would be the Azerbaijani terrorist invasion between the last week of July and first week of August, which was entirely squashed by the Artsakh Republic Defense Army. The Azeris launched a total of twenty raids in that particular invasion, and all twenty were squashed. This again comes to show that Artsakh’s military defense force is an extremely well-trained group of soldiers who are deeply devoted to defending the Republic of Artsakh, and are fully prepared for any kind of attack by Azerbaijan.

    In addition to its growing economy, one of Artsakh’s big surprises has been its tourism industry. From 2011 thru 2013, it increased to 16,317 tourists, which was an increase of over forty-four percent. These numbers do not include residents of Armenia who are also travelling to Artsakh in bigger numbers these days. And, unlike the Republic of Armenia whose population has declined, the Artsakh Republic’s population has actually increased.

    A new modern airport which has already been built right outside of Stepanakert, is supposed to be opening up in the very near future. It will connect flights between Stepanakert and Yerevan, which will therefore make it easier and faster for people to travel between these two cities. This is definitely a big occasion for the two Armenian republics to look forward to. And with the Artsakh Republic progressing the way it’s been doing over the past 23 years, hopefully the Republic of Armenia will also follow its little brother’s path very soon. Just like there’s a lot that Artsakh can learn from its bigger brother, there’s also a lot that Hayastan can learn from its little brother. God bless Artsakh and Hayastan forever!

    • I think it is long overdue that the hallucinating criminal leaders of the artificial state of gas-station-istan to create a new department with full-time staff to record and keep track of their black list of visitors to Artsakh. They should print the long list at the end of each year and hand it over to draft-dodger Aliyev to shove it where the sun don’t shine!

  3. A picture is worth a thousand words. This is a perfect picture of the ancient Armenian province of Artsakh liberated from the criminal, autocratic, racist, illiterate, nomadic and artificial state of Azerbaijan and being nurtured by her Armenian care takers.

    What is missing from this picture is tearing to pieces and setting ablaze the blood-soaked flag of illegal and fascist state of Turkey and the flag of the defeated artificial state of Azerbaijan, a gas-station disguised as a country.

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