Stepanakert: opponents of tree felling failed to gather people for protest

The action against felling of trees on one of the main streets of the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, scheduled for March 30 in Stepanakert, did not took place, because of absence of participants.

A few days ago, about a dozen pine trees were felled in Vazgen Sarkisyan Street and in the central square of Stepanakert. The fact had caused a great resonance in the social network Facebook and in the independent press.

In the social network Facebook, young activists expressed the opinion that cutting perennial trees damages the external appearance of the city. The independent newspaper "Nor Edge" (New Page) published an article condemning the decision of the city authorities to cut down trees in Stepanakert.

However, despite the discontent of residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, the action has failed. It was supposed to start at 6:00 p.m. local time, but only journalists came to the venue. After waiting for an hour, they dispersed.

According to Armine Narinyan, a journalist of the newspaper "Aparazh", young people failed to find a leader who could gather like-minded people around him or her.

"In the social network, quite a lot of people express their negative attitude to tree cutting in Stepanakert. But the action has failed, because the Facebook users lack a true leader," said the journalist, adding that when such appeared, he or she would win support of many people.

When Anait Pogosyan, a resident of Stepanakert, learned from the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the youth had decided to hold a protest, she said that "it makes no sense to argue with the decision of the authorities."

"Well, they cut the tress down, so what's of that? In summer we'll walk along this street with umbrellas to protect ourselves from the sun; or walk along the opposite sidewalk, which is most likely," the woman was confident.

Armen Akopyan, Deputy Mayor of Stepanakert, said on the Public Television of Artsakh that the trees were cut down "for the traffic safety."

"New trees will be planted instead – this process is necessary for rejuvenation of the green area of ​​the city," said Akopyan and added that "ten young trees will be planted in Stepanakert instead of every cut down one."