On March 22, the Armenian National Assembly will hold an urgent discussion about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Artsakh and the recent escalation of Azerbaijani military aggression in the region.

Armenia’s parliamentary opposition (Hayastan, With Honor factions) argued that such a discussion is needed especially after a pipeline supplying natural gas to Artsakh from Armenia was damaged under suspicious circumstances.

Azerbaijani authorities, for ten days afterwards, prohibited any repairs to the pipeline. Yesterday, the Artsakh government announced that Azerbaijan had agreed to repair it.

The opposition factions note that Azerbaijan is pursuing a policy to cleanse Karabakh of its Armenian population and is exerting psychological, as well military pressure, on Artsakh.

They also argue that Azerbaijani troops remain on the sovereign territory of Armenia.

“The criminal actions of the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan, the attacks on the civilian population, the constant belligerent and anti-Armenian rhetoric aimed at evicting the Armenians of the Artsakh Republic prove once again that the Azerbaijani government is a real threat to the existence of the Artsakh Armenians, for the security of the Armenian people, as well as the whole region,” reads a statement released by the opposition factions.

They have called on the Armenian National Assembly, where PM Pashinyan’s Civil Contract faction enjoys a clear majority, to “clearly and legal assess” the threats Artsakh and Armenia face.