Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan at the Revival Square in Stepanakert urged residents to take part in a rally to be held today at 14:00.

"Today is Sunday, part of the world celebrates Christmas. I am standing in the main square of Stepanakert and I want to urge all of you to come here today at 2 p.m. with your families, because we have to show the world that we exist. We must unite and say that we will defend our state, defend our dignity, our history and our future. We had meetings last week in Martakert, Kashen, Martuni, Askeran and yesterday in Stepanakert, and I am sure we all understand how serious this situation is. But at the same time we are all ready, if we understand where we are going, how we are doing it and why we are doing it, to unite and overcome all the difficulties," he said.

Ruben Vardanyan noted that there are people who are against today's rally, there are people who are doing everything to go the other way, but he is sure that they can remain worthy citizens of Artsakh only by defending the Republic of Artsakh together. "We have no other way, so I urge all of you to come here today at 2 p.m., we must decide to move forward, we have no other way," he said.

Artsakh has been in a complete blockade for 14 days. On December 12 December the Azerbaijani side closed the Lachin corridor which is the only road connecting Artsakh with Armenia and the outside world under a trumped-up ecological pretext.

As a result of Azerbaijan's closure of the Lachin corridor, it is impossible to deliver 400 tons of food and medicines from Armenia to the Republic of Artsakh on a daily basis.