The parliament of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) on Thursday, March 25 adopted a bill designating the Russian language as the country's second official language. 27 lawmakers voted in favor of the bill, two abstained, while two others did not show up.

Co-author of the bill Aram Harutyunyan, who is the chairman of the standing committee on science, education, culture, youth and sports, called for refraining from manipulating the topic, stressing that only "the Armenian language is, has been, and will always be the mother tongue" in Karabakh.

Amendments to the law on language will enter into force on the tenth day from the date of official publication.