"Armenia also caused tremendous damage to the ecology of the occupied territories during the years occupation. Fifty to sixty thousand hectares of forest have been completely destroyed. A process of deliberate deforestation was underway, especially in Kalbajar, Lachin, Zangilan and Gubadli districts. This, in fact, is savagery and looting," said President Ilham Aliyev as he received in a video format Vahid Hajiyev due to his appointment as Special Representative of the President in Zangilan district.

"Everyone knows that the second largest sycamore forest in Europe was in Zangilan district – the Basitchay Nature Reserve. Most of that Basitchay nature reserve has been destroyed, and when I was in Zangilan, I saw the stumps of those trees. At the same time, I saw the burned trees. They committed the same ugly deeds in Kalbajar and Lachin districts immediately after the war. They were given 20 days to leave, but they used even those days to commit their ugly deeds," the President added.