June 30, 2020 - 14:07 AMT
Survey: Armenians less inclined to leave country forever after revolution

The number of people who are interested in permanent emigration from Armenia has dropped after the revolution of 2018, according to a new study by the Caucasus Research Resource Center.

The Caucasus Barometer report is the annual household survey about social economic issues and political attitudes conducted by CRRC. Data from Armenia for the recent edition of the study was compiled between February 21 and March 15, 2020.

In an earlier edition conducted half a year before the revolution, 35% of respondents said they were interested in permanent emigration, while the latest report published in June 2020 reveals that 24% of people would leave Armenia forever to live somewhere else.

Respondents were also asked whether they are interested in temporary emigration, and 52% of them said they are, down from the 59% who were ready to leave the country for a certain period of time before the revolution.

Tens of thousands of Armenians took to the streets in April-May 2018 to demand the resignation of the then authorities and the formation of a new government. Protest leader Nikol Pashinyan was ultimately elected the country’s new Prime Minister in May, while his team secured parliamentary majority in snap elections several months later.