Karabakh war report faces further delays despite promises of release "this year"

By Elen Muradyan

The long-awaited report on the 2020 44-day Nagorno-Karabakh war faces yet another postponement, as commission chairman Andranik Kocharyan vaguely promises it "must be released this year" without specifying a concrete timeline.

"We must definitely release it this year because there needs to be proper understanding when confronting these facts. We should avoid political manipulation and focus on learning lessons," Kocharyan said during an interview broadcast Tuesday evening on Public Television.

The investigative commission announced the completion of its work in September 2024. Kocharyan stated at the time he would request a closed parliamentary session in October to present the "several hundred-page report." He noted that while the public would have access to portions of the findings, the complete document contains classified information and cannot be fully disclosed.

"The report is ready," Kocharyan explained. "The Constitution allows us to address certain shortcomings after the deadline expires but before presenting it to a full National Assembly session. As you know, the Investigative Committee has initiated numerous criminal cases related to the war, many of which have been completed. We need a comprehensive report that helps us understand why we lost and identifies those responsible, if specific individuals are to be held accountable."

The investigative commission into the circumstances of the war was established in February 2022 at the initiative of the ruling Civil Contract party. The 11-member commission includes representatives from the parliamentary standing committee on defense and security issues, with seven members from the ruling "Civil Contract" faction. The opposition "Armenia" and "I Have Honor" alliances refused to participate, dismissing the commission as a politically motivated entity.