YEREVAN. – Territories are being seized from the Republic of Armenia (RA). Former Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan told this to reporters at Liberty Square on Friday, when asked what processes were taking place in Syunik Province at the moment in accordance with documents.

"I have a doubt that in reality there are 2,500 square meters have left in Karabakh [(Artsakh)], from Syunik to Tavush [Provinces], as well as [the Azerbaijani exclave of] Nakhchivan, (…) [Azerbaijan president Ilham] Aliyev will take the 2,500 directly to later decide what status to give to Karabakh. I believe there is such a criminal deal. That whole road is Armenian, they [the Azerbaijanis] crossed the road in some places, went deeper to our territory, took over the Davit Bek-Goris, Kapan-Chakaten sections," Bagratyan added.

To the remark that it is done by Google Maps, Hrant Bagratyan said: "And from whom did Google take it? From the air? (…). The road was built during the Soviet Union, by the decision of the Council of Ministers of the Armenian SSR; the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan SSR did nothing. There are military maps. Did Google look at military maps of the Soviet Union? Google took the bribe, moved that line. Tomorrow we can go, that line will go westward again."

Hrant Bagratyan stressed that the borders are determined as a result of delimitation and demarcation. "Delimitation has been done, there is no demarcation. For example, military maps are chosen as a basis. For example, the Goris and Lachin regional committee made such a decision; that is, it is not that there is no RA border; there is an RA border. If someone says that the RA borders have not been determined, then there is no RA.”

Also, Hrant Bagratyan blamed Armenian President Armen Sarkissian for the ongoing processes. "According to Article 123, the guarantor of the RA territorial integrity is the RA President, but it’s not [PM] Nikol [Pashinyan]," he added.