On January 21, Karvatchar (Artsakh) resident Alexander Kananyan went on a hunger strike demanding a stop to the construction of small hydroelectric power plants in the Shahumyan District. Continuing the strike, Kananyan posted the following today on his Facebook page.

Dear compatriots,

Again, I apologize for writing sporadically these days. Negotiations are difficult, but there is hope that the situation will finally come to an end tomorrow.

Regardless of the outcome of the negotiations, all the demands I have formulated, defended by the population of Karvachar and based on the national security imperative of Armenia, are in full force and will not change.

No new small hydroelectric plants will be built in Karvatchar, and those under construction will be dismantled. There will never be a retreat from this demand. The plants operating as of December 1 will be subject to strict scrutiny and regulatory requirements.

I am grateful to all my dear friends, supporters, and concerned compatriots for my health.

At the same time, I am amazed when the calls to go out on hunger strike come from people in the Artsakh Government, people who are behind the devastating construction of the plants, or friends who have received government offices in Yerevan.

Official Yerevan should, after all, get serious and understand that the absurd “two Armenian states" theater not only violates the supreme constitutionality of RoA government decisions, but is also irresponsible and immoral "cynicism" towards   Armenian citizens living in Artsakh.

I urge the government of Artsakh to cease its calls that I stop my hunger strike, which he has no moral right to do, but to realize that the imperatives of sustainable development and security of the Armenian state greatly supersede the priority of serving the anti-state interests of the criminal oligarchy.