Corridor blockade continues; more than 5,000 in NK have lost their jobs
Nagorno-Karabakh blockade
“At least 5,100 people have lost their jobs due to the difficult situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.” This is the data of the local information headquarters. The government of the unrecognized republic has developed a program to support all those who have found themselves without work.
It is the 57th day of the blockade in the Lachin corridor. There is a reported shortage of food and medicine. Humanitarian aid continues to flow in small numbers through Russian peacekeepers and the Red Cross. The gas supply was again halted on February 6.
Since December 12 Azerbaijanis posing as environmental activists have blocked the Lachin corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. They demand monitoring of local mines and a meeting with the commander of the Russian peacekeepers stationed in NK.
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The energy crisis continues
“Azerbaijan again blocked the only gas pipeline that feeds Artsakh from Armenia, depriving people of natural gas,” the NK information headquarters reported.
After the blocking of the Lachin corridor, the supply of gas coming to NK from Armenia has periodically stopped. Armenia claims that Azerbaijan is closing the valve installed on a section of the gas pipeline located in the territory under its control.
Six-hour blackouts continue in NK after an accident on the only high-voltage power line supplying electricity from Armenia. The damaged section, according to ArtsakhEnergo, is located on the territory controlled by Azerbaijan, who will not allow repairs. Local hydroelectric power is not enough to power the area.
There are coupons, but no money
Since January some products in NK have been sold on coupons. Each month people have een given coupons for a liter of vegetable oil, a kilogram of sugar, rice, and pasta.
Unlike previous weeks of the blockade, fruit, vegetables and sweets have appeared in the shops, but there are long lines to buy them. Local residents believe that coupons should be issued for these products as well.
Those who are left without work due to the forced downtime of some organizations under blockade complain that they have coupons, but no money to buy groceries.
A social support program has been developed
In order to help those who’ve lost their jobs due to the closure, the government of the unrecognized republic decided to provide assistance in the amount of 68,000 drams ($171).
Each month assistance will be provided to children whose parents are not working.
“Aid in the amount of 40,000 drams ($101) will be provided for each child. If only one of the parents is not working, it will be 20,000 drams ($50),” NK reports.
Planned operations are suspended
The information headquarters of the NK reports that 580 people have lost the opportunity to be operated on. During the blockade, 70 patients were transported to Armenia to receive specialized medical care through the Red Cross.
It is reported that now six children are in the departments of neonatology and resuscitation of the children’s hospital. Nine adult patients are in intensive care, four of them in critical condition.
Since the beginning of the blockade, 204 children have been born in Nagorno-Karabakh.
“Apply Sanctions”
“NK expects that the international community will take effective steps, apply sanctions or other instruments of influence,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs of NK, Sergey Ghazaryan, wrote. He asked that this letter be conveyed to world governments.
It says that Azerbaijan refused “an offer from the NK government to conduct an independent international inspection of the Kashen mine.” The main demand of the protesters on the Lachin road is monitoring of local mines. According to Ghazaryan, this is more proof that “the protest carried out by the Azerbaijani special services pursues a completely different goal.” Ghazaryan believes that Azerbaijan’s intention is “to take full control of the Lachin corridor in violation of the tripartite statement of November 9, 2020.”
“Moreover, having failed to convince the international community that the “protest” is allegedly environmental in nature, the Azerbaijani authorities declare that what is happening in the Lachin corridor is their internal affair, and they are not obliged to discuss it with any country. Meanwhile, it is obvious that all the above actions of Azerbaijan have only one goal: to expel the Armenians from Artsakh,” the letter says.
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The situation in the besieged NK
