The Vardenis-Martakert highway, the second linking Artsakh and Armenia (after the Goris-Stepanakert roadway), was officially opened today, September 1.

The highway starts from Armenia’s Gegharkounik province and stretches via the Shahoumyan district of Artsakh to the Martakert district. It’s 114.6 kilometer long and more than 10 meters wide in places, with some auxiliary facilities, including 17 renovated bridges of different sizes.

The Vardenis-Martakert roadway is the largest project implemented by Hayastan All-Armenian Fund during its 25 years of operation. The total cost of the project is around 17 billion AMD, of which 7,500,000 has been allocated by the government of Armenia, and 1,950,000,000, by the government of Artsakh. The rest was collected by Hayastan All-Armenian Fund during the 2013 and 2014 telethons, sponsored by the Armenian communities in the United States, Brazil, Italy, Sweden, Russia, Lebanon, Iran, Armenia and Artsakh.

Under the agreement between the Fund and the contracting companies, the latter assumed to provide warranty roadway service for the next five years.

According to the Fund’s press release, the new highway not only significantly reduces the time and space needed for going to the northern regions of Artsakh via Goris-Stepanakert highway, but also strengthens intercommunity ties, contributing to the economic development of adjacent communities, and "promotes tourism by enlivening the socio-economic life of the two republics. The road also gives us an opportunity to get acquainted with our historical and cultural monuments and to enjoy the beauty of Armenia’s  land. "

Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, who is on a working visit in Artsakh Republic, attended the highway’s opening ceremony.