The President of the Artsakh Republic Arayik Harutyunyan made the following post on Facebook:
"Dear compatriots, February 20, 1988 has entered the annals of the Armenian people as a symbol of the revival of the national spirit, symbol of the strong unity and unbreakable will, as the beginning of a period of struggle, creation, loss and victory.
33 years have passed since that day. Today, the Armenians of Artsakh are living through one of the hardest periods in their history.
They live squeezed by the blows of fate, clenched their teeth and fists in pain, with scream in the throat and with tears in the eyes.
They live, keeping alive the spirit and ideas of 1988, even more confident and determined that the path they have chosen is right and irreversible, that, more than ever, today they must live and develop native land, which is double sanctified by the blood of their modern-day heroes.
And for the sake of our martyrs, our dreams and generations, Artsakh will be reborn again, will rise from the ruins and will continue its eternal course. We must continue the value based struggle of the Artsakh movement and be stronger, more developed and united, resolutely defending our rights and freedom, national interests and values, honor and dignity.
This is the way for the Armenian people to survive. And let peace and success accompany our people and homeland on that path”.
