A Message for Doubters: Newly Elected President of Artsakh Araik Harutyunyan

The president of the Artsakh 'Free Homeland' party and newly elected president of Artsakh, Araik Harutyunyan, made the following post on his Facebook page:

'Dear compatriots, today I will address the principles of our electoral program, focusing on the development of horticulture and specifically discussing several important statistical figures and expected measures. As you know, we have announced our plans to plant 10,000 hectares of new orchards (pomegranates, kiwis, walnuts, pears, citruses, etc.) and to elevate this sector of agriculture, which I believe is a significant yet still underutilized area of our economic potential, to a new level of quality.

For comparison, I would like to point out that currently the total area of orchards in Artsakh is considerably less—6,800 hectares (of which 1,700 hectares are grapes and 2,150 hectares are pomegranates), a significant portion of which was planted between 2008 and 2019. For instance, in 2007, only 50 hectares of orchards were planted throughout the entire republic; by 2008, this number rose to 350 hectares, and in 2019 alone, it reached 1,210 hectares, of which 790 hectares were pomegranates. The planting has primarily taken place in areas that have become irrigated with state and charitable support.

The majority of the saplings have been provided free of charge by the government; significant state support is also expected for the installation of drip irrigation systems for these farms. To avoid turning this into yet another opportunity for speculation, I want to inform you that the beneficiaries of this program are over 300 of our compatriots.

This policy, as we have already indicated, will not only continue but will also see increased volumes of allocations, irrigated areas, and, most importantly, public accountability and transparency in the conditions for benefiting from the program.

For those who still do not believe, I must disappoint you: impartial governance and equal opportunities will be created for all. In return, we will be strict, demanding, and consistent.

I believe in the flourishing future of Artsakh; we will make it visible together.'