Armenian blogger: Khankendi was prosperous only within Azerbaijan SSR, and stagnating since 1994 VIDEO

Armenian blogger Roman Baghdasaryan has sparked a critical conversation about the state of Khankendi since the conclusion of the First Karabakh War in 1994.

"In fact, we have done nothing for Khankendi! If someone thinks that renovating the city centre and building a huge number of palaces is prosperity, he is mistaken. Khankendi was a prosperous city only when it was part of the Azerbaijan SSR. Until 1988, Khankendi had a huge number of plants, combines and factories, there was a wine factory and many other things. People worked here and received salaries,” Caliber.Az quotes Baghdasaryan as saying in a video he shared on his Telegram.

Baghdasaryan noted that the focus in Khankendi shifted towards personal wealth accumulation, evident in the proliferation of opulent palaces belonging to officials, generals, and presidents of Artsakh, the now-defunct separatist state.

“How could the city not have developed since 1994? It was clean and pleasant, but a city should generate revenue, produce goods. However, Khankendi was a burden on the Armenian budget. In fact, Diaspora and Armenian money were laundered here, making it a city of nepotism,” Baghdasaryan added.