Leader predicts Nagorno-Karabakh state will no longer exist by January

The leader of the self-declared Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenia has announced that the region will cease to exist in the new year. Samvel Shahramanyan signed an order to dissolve all state institutions from 1 January. Last week, Azerbaijan seized control of the region, which had been held by Armenians for thirty years. More than half of its Armenian population has fled, according to officials. Shahramanyan said the decision to dissolve the state was based on the priority of ensuring the security and interests of the people. He encouraged people from Nagorno-Karabakh to familiarize themselves with the conditions of reintegration into Azerbaijan. Talks regarding this matter have begun between Baku and Karabakh authorities. Meanwhile, Armenia's Prime Minister expects no Armenians to be left in Nagorno-Karabakh in the coming days. The region is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but Armenia gained control in the 1990s after the Soviet Union's collapse. Concerns of renewed violence arose when Azerbaijan blockaded a crucial route into the enclave in December 2022. A ceasefire was implemented on 20 September, ending 24 hours of fighting. However, many of the region's ethnic Armenians fear they have no future in Nagorno-Karabakh, with the Prime Minister claiming that "ethnic cleansing" has begun there. He is calling for international action on the issue. Western governments have been urging Azerbaijan to allow international observers into Karabakh to monitor the treatment of the local population, but access has not been granted yet. The Armenian authorities believe they can handle the growing number of people fleeing the region. Efforts are being made in the town of Goris, near the border, with local hotels offering free rooms and Armenians posting on social media to provide housing for refugees throughout the country. To meet the high demand, a second hub is being opened in Vayk, two hours down the road.