The Azerbaijanis have set up a shack near Chakaten village, but the road is open. I went as normal in the morning, I came back. Ara Harutyunyan, the prefect of Chakaten village of Armenia’s Syunik Province, told this to Armenian News-NEWS.am.
"There is nothing yet, they [i.e., the Azerbaijanis] are standing [there] with two people; one armed, the other—not. It's just that it’s not convenient for me to stand, look. I looked as I passed, there was nothing unusual; it was just that shack. There is no panic in the village, but I can’t say we are completely calm," he said.
The mayor of Chakaten noted that they do not have an alternative road yet, and what they have is impassable.
"They [i.e., the Armenians] have not started the construction yet, they have brought the equipment, they have looked, but it will still take a long time to build a new road, it is definitely not a month's work. If they work very intensively and the weather is favorable, they may finish the construction in 2-3 months," he added.
According to the village head, if the Azerbaijanis close Chakaten’s main road before the new road is ready, their road will be extended by 140 km.
"We hope they [i.e., the Azerbaijanis] will not close [the main road]. But they are unpredictable people, you will not know what they are doing," added Harutyunyan.
Azerbaijanis have started engineering work Saturday in Chakaten village, on the road to Kapan city, and the village head had expressed concern that the Azerbaijanis might set up a checkpoint there.
The Goris-Kapan interstate road of Armenia has been closed since Thursday. Azerbaijan has set up a customs checkpoint there, putting at least three Armenian villages in a semi-blockade.