Denying Artsakh`s legal status could have severe international  consequences- lawyer 

ArmInfo.Denial of the legal status of the Republic of Artsakh could lead to serious consequences, including in international courts, where Azerbaijan may  refer to these precedents in the future, as stated by  lawyer Roman Yeritsyan  during a press conference at the Artsakh Representative Office in Yerevan on January 2.

Speaking about the refusal of the Chairman of the Administrative Court of Armenia, Karen Zarikyan, to involve the Republic of Artsakh or its government as a third party in the case regarding the alienation of the building of the NKR representative office in Armenia, the lawyer highlighted several  legal facts: in 2022, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided a document confirming the Artsakh representative office in Yerevan was registered as a diplomatic body; NKR officials held and continue to hold diplomatic passports and used cars with diplomatic license plates, under Armenia's law on the state budget Armenia provided loans to Artsakh.

"Furthermore, until 2024, numerous judges from Artsakh worked in  Armenia. Meanwhile, according to Armenian law, only citizens of the  country can hold judicial positions, which raises a rhetorical  question about the legality of their decisions," the lawyer added.  Yeritsyan also expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that property  issues are settled between two Armenian bodies-the court and the  cadastral office, despite  the property belonging to the Artsakh  government. The rightful owner has effectively become a third party  without a voice.

According to the lawyer, the state registration will be considered  invalid once the expropriation verdict comes into force. However,   they have developed certain strategies and steps  to counter this  move.  Specifically, Yeritsyan explained, they have a registered  owner-mortgage company Fidesz-and the judge will be forced to include  it as a third party. "In this case, we will, of course, be forced to  protect our interests ourselves through the company, meaning  indirectly. The fact remains-the actual owner, namely the Artsakh  government, is deprived of the opportunity to present its documents  and position," the lawyer concluded.

Recall, the Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia is attempting to  seize the building of the NKR representative office in Yerevan  through legal proceedings. Earlier, lawyer Roman Yeritsyan stated  that, in essence, the expropriation of the building of the permanent  representative office of the Republic of Artsakh in Armenia is being  considered without the participation of the registered owner. In this  regard, he recalled that the Artsakh government's ownership of the  said property is registered with the Cadastral Committee of Armenia  under number 2239396.  Note, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan,  commenting on this information, emphasized that the Artsakh issue is  closed and he will not allow a "state within a state" to exist in the  country.