In the previous month, certain structural changes took place in new government of Artsakh. One of the changes was the replacement and inclusion of Resettlement and Migration Department from government staff to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (currently – Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Resettlement). The head of Resettlement and Migration Department of the Republic of Artsakh, Elina Mkhitaryan explained while speaking about the activities of the department, that since the very first years of independence resettlement has been in the limelight of Artsakh authorities and the position on continual implementation of the program has not changed regardless of the circumstance in which ministry the department is included. “The program for renovation of and resettlement in ruined territories because of war operations, as well as the resettlement of a large number of deportees and people displaced by force works since 1993. 2007 onwards the priority of the program have become also the provisions on housing, creating average living standards, solving employment issues of the repatriate families”, informed Ms. Mkhitaryan. She mentioned that according to the program, each repatriate family is provided with private house or apartment by terms of 10 years of use, which is granted to the repatriate family by donation agreement if the obligations are fulfilled: “After the commencement of the house privatization of repatriate families, over 608 repatriate families lived in various villages of Artsakh for more than 10 years have received the residential houses built by state finances as their property by donation.”
As stated by Ms. Mkhitaryan, the government of Artsakh cooperates with charitable organizations in the framework of the program: “Artsakh Fund” organization of Lebanon, as well as “Armenia” pan-Armenian and “Tufenkian” foundations.
“As a result of Artsakh government and “Artsakh Fund” cooperation within the scopes of “ARI” program, 26 residential houses have been built and provided to repatriate families in Aghavno village of Kashatagh district, and constructions for 24 more houses are being finished yet”, informed the head of department and sums up noting that in the framework of repatriation program, around 8 dozen of families have been provided by newly built residential houses due to the means of charitable organizations throughout past 10 years, where the events organized by “Armenia” pan-Armenian and “Tufenkian” foundations have had their part of input. Referring to Syrian-Armenian families resided and granted houses in Artsakh because of Syrian crisis, Ms. Mkhitaryan noted that the housed families are 26 and have resided in Kashatagh district.
Davit ABAGHYAN
