Monday, July 10 2023 20:23

ArmInfo. Artsakh Ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan expressed bewilderment at the actions of the Public Television of Armenia, which refused to use the "Artsakh" place- name in its news releases.

Thus, he stated that during the news releases, the PTA uses only the Nagorno-Karabakh place-name, which causes frank bewilderment, because until recently the Artsakh place-name has always been used.  "Of course, the people of Artsakh do not reject the Nagorno-Karabakh place-name, moreover, according to the constitution of the Republic of Armenia, the place-names of the Republic of Artsakh and the Nagorno- Karabakh Republic are identical.

However, the public television company of Armenia has not used the word "republic" for a long time," the NKR Ombudsman noted, considering it surprising that even a number of foreign media operating in the territory of the Republic of Armenia and included in the international news group use the Artsakh place- name.

"If the problem is to be more understandable to international actors, then, firstly, I think that the name Artsakh has already become recognizable and understandable to actors interested in this issue, and secondly, is it possible to at least use both names in parallel :  Artsakh (Mountainous Karabakh).

Representatives of the international media often use the Artsakh place-name in parallel with Nagorno- Karabakh, showing respect for the local residents, because international law considers toponyms and geographical names not the property of states, but the intangible heritage of peoples," Stepanyan concluded.