The Christmas tree and the tents that are installed for a New Year event at the courtyard of a hotel have caused quite a stir Friday among the residents of the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) capital Stepanakert. At the citizens’ request, they are being disassembled at the moment.

Davit Ghahramanyan, a photographer of the Artsakh Information Center, told Armenian News-NEWS.am that he was called Thursday on the phone, offered to take photos of this event and be paid for it, but he had refused. Ghahramanyan added that it was then that he learned that this event was being organized by the My Step Foundation which is founded by Anna Hakobyan, the wife of Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

"But now is not the time for that [New Year event], the parents of the missing are in mourning, it is not the time for a concert; this is a mockery," Ghahramanyan added in particular.

The people of Artsakh have gone on Facebook and called for a rally Friday at 1pm, at the venue of this event, and against it.

Davit Ghahramanyan said that they are going to not only demand the cancellation of this event, but also to close down the free cafeteria organized by the My Step Foundation, and instead to launch a similar initiative, but with state support.

We have not been able to get a respective comment from the My Step Foundation yet.