Only 15,000 Artsakh residents benefit from housing program

PanARMENIAN.Net - Only 15,000 displaced Artsakh residents have benefited from the housing assistance program over the past two years, Artsakh State Minister Nzhdeh Iskandaryan said, according to Pastinfo.

He argued that the figure shows the program is not equally accessible to all families.

“During numerous meetings, we have heard people's concerns. For many, the main obstacles are the financial burden of the required personal contribution, limited access to loans, rising real estate prices and other factors. As a result, even families that want to participate often cannot do so in practice,” he said.

Iskandaryan stressed that if a significant share of eligible beneficiaries has been unable to resolve its housing needs over two years, the government should examine the reasons and revise the program's terms.

“The program must ensure that every forcibly displaced Artsakh family has a real opportunity to solve its housing problem. Housing support should be based on people's actual needs and each family's social circumstances,” he added.

The state minister also noted that nearly three years have passed since the forced displacement from Artsakh, yet many people still face uncertainty about their future.

“Our daily contacts show that people's concerns remain unchanged. Many Artsakh Armenians closely followed Armenia's domestic political developments, hoping they could influence solutions to their problems, since many aspects of their lives now depend on state policy in Armenia. Unfortunately, after the outcome of the elections, migration trends have become noticeable.

When people live in uncertainty for a long time and see no stable future for themselves or their families, it is natural that they begin looking for other opportunities. If they see that the state has a clear, fair and long-term policy toward displaced Artsakh Armenians, many will continue building their future in Armenia. That should be our common goal,” he said.

Commenting on the commission being formed to examine the Artsakh Fruit CJSC case, Iskandaryan said it is still in the formation stage.

“Once the commission is established and begins its work, we will present both the progress of the investigation and its findings,” he added.

On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale offensive against Artsakh, subjecting the territory to massive shelling. A day later, the Artsakh authorities accepted a ceasefire proposal from the command of the Russian peacekeeping mission, agreeing to Baku's conditions, including the disarmament of the Defense Army and the dissolution of the Republic of Artsakh. The offensive killed 223 people, including 20 civilians, six of them minors. Beginning on September 24, more than 100,000 Artsakh Armenians were forcibly displaced to Armenia. According to some reports, about 20 Armenians remained in Artsakh, 11 of whom later returned to Armenia, one died and one was detained.