It is upsetting that the EU in the face of the President of the European Council Charles Michel refers to Artsakh people as "Armenians living in former NKAO," disregarding the fact of the decades-long existence of their statehood built on the exercise of their fundamental and inalienable right to self-determination. The Human Rights Defender of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), Gegham Stepanyan, noted this in a statement.

“Such formulations, made intentionally by a union that champions human rights values worldwide, not only hurt the feelings of Artsakh people, but also bring a destructive effect to the peace process over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as they ignore its main beneficiary's rights – Artsakh people,” Stepanyan added.

“The neglect of Artsakh people's will and interests and the intentional avoidance of using the term ‘Nagorno-Karabakh’ definitely do not contribute to the peace negotiations on the initiative of the EU, but pave the way to the forced subjugation of Artsakh with a sustainable level of democracy into an Armenophobic and authoritarian state – Azerbaijan,” the Artsakh ombudsman concluded.