After winning the parliamentary elections on June 7, a law will be adopted at the first cabinet session of the Armenian government that will prohibit Azerbaijani citizens from buying land and real estate in Armenia. This was announced Monday by the Strong Armenia bloc prime ministerial candidate—businessman, and philanthropist—Samvel Karapetyan.

“Today we have gathered to discuss and decide on the issue that interests our country, our people the most. During these two months, we have touched upon all the economic programs that we propose our people. We all remember: 300 thousand [new] jobs, one billion dollars for the development of tourism, large funds for improving demographic data, we are exempting small businesses from all taxes and inspections [in Armenia].

But we have the most serious problem for our people and country. If we cannot stop the entry of 300 thousand Azerbaijanis—planned by [Armenian PM] Pashinyan and [Azerbaijani president] Aliyev—into Armenia, it will turn out that all economic programs [in Armenia] will be unfeasible, since the main jobs will go to Azerbaijanis. That is why we will adopt the main law for our country at the very first [cabinet] session of our government. We have called it the ‘Safarov Prevention Law’ so that we prohibit Azerbaijanis from buying our lands, buying our houses, receiving our lands as gifts. They received 240 square kilometers [in Armenia] as a gift in one day. That is, whatever we do, no matter how much we try to develop the economy [of Armenia], if we do not solve the main problem of our country, it will have no value," the PM candidate of the Strong Armenia bloc stated.

In turn lawyer Aram Vardevanyan presented the main provisions of the bill. He noted that there is concern in Armenian society about how dynamically the incumbent Armenian authorities fulfill any demand from Azerbaijan.

“Considering what a terrible program Pashinyan and Aliyev have developed, there is a need to adopt a legislative package,” the lawyer noted, adding that their plan is called the “Safarov Prevention” or the bill on the prevention of hatred. The bill stipulates that no individual or legal entity with Azerbaijani citizenship can acquire real estate in Armenia. According to him, a similar provision already exists in Armenia’s land legislation, and it is proposed to extend it to real estate, recalling that there are similar precedents in international practice.

Vardevanyan recalled who Ramil Safarov is: he is an Azerbaijani military man who axed Armenian army officer Gurgen Margaryan to death in Budapest, where both were attending English courses within the framework of a NATO program. Safarov inflicted 16 blows with an axe on the sleeping Margaryan. A Hungarian court sentenced him to life imprisonment, but in 2012 he was extradited to Azerbaijan, where he was released immediately and made a national hero, and is still considered a hero. As a result, Armenia severed relations with Hungary, which, however, were restored in 2022.

As Vardevanyan noted, the aforesaid bill stems from the priorities of national dignity: such crimes committed on the grounds of national intolerance must be punished. But when such things are encouraged and made a hero under the name of “peace,” Armenians must express their position and take preventive measures. The package is designed to guarantee the rights of Armenian citizens, including in the economic sphere.

Attorney Gohar Meloyan, for her part, briefly presented the “terrible plan” being planned by the Armenian government. According to her, in parallel with the statements about peace, the violation of Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity continues. There are Azerbaijani soldiers in four provinces, and this is happening by ignoring the signed documents that imply a guarantee of sovereignty and territorial integrity. Not only have Azerbaijani troops not been withdrawn from the territory of Armenia, but the issue of enclaves is also hanging in the air.

In conclusion, Samvel Karapetyan announced that the aforementioned bill will be adopted into law within a week after their coming to power in Armenia.

Source: https://news.am/en/news/1038028