YEREVAN, MARCH 15, NOYAN TAPAN. "Andranik Haroutiunian was one of the devotees of Artsakh liberation struggle. He inherited love for Armenians, patriotism from his grandfather who was from Van, therefore from the very first days of Artsakh liberation struggle he left for Berdadzor organizing the region's self-defence." Prosaist Sasun Grigorian said this during the March 15 presentation of the book "Andranik of Berdadzor" held at the Union of Writers of Armenia. In the words of TV journalist Karen Kocharian, there are few patriots like A. Haroutiunian: though he was an artist by his soul, he left everything, went to struggle with arms in his hands and consciously went to be martyred. "Andranik was a rock, a mighty personality, whom we need today," K. Kocharian said. In the words of Lieutenant-Colonel Romik Mkhitarian, Adviser to Chairman of Board of Yerkrapah Volunteers' Union, lack of persons lack Andranik is strongly felt in our days. "It's a pity he died untimely, as he had much to do both during the war and in the issue of state building," the Lieutenant-Colonel emphasized. The Zoravar Andranik Union posthumously gave A. Haroutiunian Zoravar Andranik memorial medal. Prosaist S. Grigorian gave it to the freedom-fighter's son, Vahagn Haroutiunian.

---