The separatist telegram channel Javakhk published the story of an Armenian village in Kvemo Kartli region in Bolnisi municipality - Bolnis Khachen (now called Bolnisi village https://t.me/jvkhk1/419 ). The village is not an ordinary one, as in early 2019, while on a visit to Georgia, it was specifically visited by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Bolnis-Khachen also has some separatist traditions. Anushavan Danielyan, a 'veteran separatist', hails from this village. This activist organized a separatist movement in the Ukrainian Crimea, seeking its annexation to Russia. After he became interested in Ukrainian law enforcement agencies, he fled to Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia, and in 1999-2007 was the so-called "prime minister of Artsakh.

The village of Bolnis-Hachen appeared on Georgian territory thanks to Armenian meliks from Karabakh who brought Armenian settlers here. They are mentioned by the Russian writer Vasily Velichko in his book 'KAVKAZ':

"History has shown Georgians that they cannot trust people who have a natural propensity for espionage and treason: the Armenian Meliks Abo and Majnun, ennobled by Irakli II, who sheltered them from Persian persecution, turned over to the Persians at a fateful moment and were the guides of the hordes of Aga-Magomet Khan, who sacked Tiflis in 1795 and poured out streams of blood. This fact is useful to recall when Armenian publicists too insist that Armenians are zealous Christians...".

It would seem that objective Armenian historians should write the whole truth, albeit ill-favoured, about their fellow tribesmen. Betrayal of Abo and Mejnun is all the more blatant against the background of loyalty of other residents of Kvemo Kartli. First of all, the Azerbaijanis - Borchali, who in that war, saved Mtskheta and the main sanctuary of Georgia Svetitskhoveli Cathedral from looting, and when defending Tbilisi a group of 250 people from Borchalo, as well as 300 from Aragvi, fought for Georgia to the end.

But it is not! The fact of the betrayal of the Armenian "founders" of Bolnis-Khachen has been carefully glossed over by Javakhk Armenian historians. Here is an excerpt from the post:

"Although our channel is also about Javakhk, today we will introduce you to the village of Bolnis-Hachen in the Kvemo Kartli region of Bolnisi district. This is a unique place with an interesting history and Armenian heritage. There were two attempts to settle this region with Armenians. During the first attempt, Abov Melik-Beglaryan, the Melik of Gandzak, tried to move to the region with his subjects but returned to Gandzak after negotiations with the King of Georgia failed. Already in 1798, after the campaigns of Agha Mohammed Khan in "Artsakh" (due to the lack of control over Armenian Meliks) and the famine and plague that started there afterwards, the begs of "Artsakh" repeatedly appealed to the Georgian king. Following the second refusal, Melik Freidun Melik-Beglaryan and Melik Jumshud Melik-Beglaryan travel to St. Petersburg to personally ask the emperor for help, after which the emperor Paul I transfers the entire Bolnisi district to the Meliks of "Artsakh".

The Meliks add a particle of Khachen to the name Bolnis and create the "principality" of Bolnis-Hachen with Melik Melik-Beglaryan as its ruler.

Being an independent principality, the Meliks had a large number of rights, on a par with the King of Georgia. But after the incorporation of the Georgian kingdom into the Russian Empire, the Meliks lose their independence, their powers of authority are reduced and they are also denied the right to have serfs. This is why in 1812 most of them return to Gandzak, their population remains Armenian and from the beginning of the 19th century Bolnis Khachen is a part of Tbilisi district. It is also worth mentioning that during one of the celebrations in 1808, Melik Abov Melik-Beglaryan, who was the head of the Meliks and had the most authority, was sent away.

During the Armenian-Georgian war - Armenian troops under Dro regain control of Lori. Following negotiations with the British military command in the Caucasus, Bolnis-Hachen becomes part of the neutral zone between Armenia and Georgia, and later becomes part of Georgia.

Nowadays 1500 people live in Bolnis-Hachen, 1400 of them are Armenians, there are also Georgians and Azerbaijanis living in the village. This is one of the largest Armenian villages on the territory of Georgia. What makes this village unique is its population who remember their Artsakh roots. Khachen speaks a dialect very close to the Artsakh language, although other Armenian villages in the region speak a dialect close to the Lori language.

It is no coincidence that people from Bolnisi feel a special closeness to "Artsakh" and even participate in its life; for example, a native of Bolnis-Khachen was Prime Minister of "Artsakh" from 1999 to 2007. The natives of the village have also left a great cultural mark on Armenian music and literature. The great Armenian writer Ghazaros Aghayan was born in this village, where his house-museum is still in good condition and is of architectural value.

In short, from this passage, without being aware of the betrayal of the Meliks Abov (Abo) and Mejnun, it seems unclear why there were 'two attempts' by Armenians to settle in Kvemo Kartli. And first, in 1798, they were refused by the Georgian authorities (Georgia had not yet been annexed by the Russian Empire).

But if you know about the treachery of the Armenian Meliks, then everything becomes clear. After Agha Muhammad Khan and his army left Georgia, the traitor Meliks were simply expelled from the Georgian land, along with their "subjects". They were met with famine and plague in Karabakh. Traitors always get disaster instead of the desired "benefit"...

After the death of Irakli II, his son George XII became King of Eastern Georgia, and the insidious Meliks, thinking that he " had forgotten" about how they had betrayed his father, asked for a new settlement in Kvemo Kartli. But George XII did not have forgotten anything. It was only after Georgia fell under Russian rule that the Armenian Melkis reached an agreement with the Russian administration and settled in the Georgian lands.

It is worth remembering history. Only because, unfortunately, the "genes of betrayal" do not always disappear. It is no accident that the same Anushevan Danidyan, who was sheltered by Ukraine and allowed to get wealthy (he was one of the richest people in Crimea and vice-speaker of the parliament of the Crimean autonomy) betrayed that country. Then he moved to occupied Karabakh and started to "crap" on Azerbaijan. And now, apparently, the Armenian "Javakhi" separatists appear to be keen to have a base among their fellow tribesmen in Kvemo Kartli as well.

Kavkazplus