February 28, 2016, an active public figure, member of the NKR Supreme Council of the second convocation and an honored teacher, Lydia Sarkissyan, passed away in the city of Tiraspol, the capital of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.

Lydia Iosifovna Sarkissyan-Arsentieva was born on November 21, 1936, in the village of Nikolayevka, Rostov oblast (region) in the family of a worker.

In 1944 studied in the secondary school of Taganrog.

In 1952 continued study in the secondary school No35 of Yerevan.

In 1954-1959 studied at the veterinary branch of the Yerevan Veterinary Institute after which she worked on the specialty.

Since 1964 has begun teaching.

In 1964-1971 worked as a teacher of chemistry and biology, and then as the Deputy Head Teacher for extracurricular work in the same school.

In 1966-1971 studied at the Tiraspol State Pedagogical Institute after T. Shevchenko and received a specialty of a teacher of biology and chemistry.

In 1971 moved to the city of Stepanakert and started to work in Stepanakert School No8 as a pioneer leader.

In 1976 was appointed Deputy Head teacher for educational work.

In 1978 was the Deputy School Head teacher for Education, and then - a teacher of biology. In 1984 received the title of a senior teacher.

Lydia Iosifovna was the Head of the Union of Russian-Armenian friendship, a union, newly created during the Artsakh liberation movement.

Lydia Sarkissyan’s active social and political position manifested itself in the early years of the Artsakh national liberation movement. As a deputy of the Council of People's Deputies of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of the XX convocation, she participated in all significant meetings and gave a speech at the historical sessions of February 20, 1988 and September 2, 1991.

On April 30, 1995 parliamentary elections, Lydia losifovna Sarkissyan was elected deputy to the NKR Supreme Council of the second convocation. From June 1995 to 1998 she held the position of the Chair of the NKR Supreme Council Commission on Defense, Security, State Building, Law and Legality.

The NKR National Assembly expresses its condolences on the passing of Lydia Iosifovna and sends words of support to her family and friends. The memory of Lydia Iosifovna will always remain bright in the hearts of the people of Artsakh.