On April 10, the Parliament debated the report on the implementation process and the results of the Government programme of the Republic of Armenia (2021-2026) for 2023.
The Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Khachatryan presented the support programmes for our compatriots forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023 and the capital expenditures made in the reporting year. According to the Deputy Prime Minister, after 10 months of deepening humanitarian crisis, on September 19, 2023, the military operations unleashed by Azerbaijan against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh led to the depopulation of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Over 100.000 Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh were forcibly displaced within a week. On September 30, the number of displaced people had already exceeded 100.000.
The Government equipped round-the-clock support points for registration and accommodation of forcibly displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh in Kornidzor, Goris and Vayk. In a few days, about 80 thousand displaced persons were provided with accommodation in the regions, of which 56 thousand were accommodated in guest houses and other adapted buildings provided with the support of the Government.
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The population of Armenia also showed great support, creating living conditions for tens of thousands of their displaced compatriots.
The forcibly displaced people were provided with food and other basic needs. Since October 2023, more than 4.4 billion AMD has been allocated to the regional administrations for this purpose. On October 3, 2023, the Government made a decision to provide emergency monetary support of 100 thousand AMD to those forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh.
As of March 31, 2024, 13.400 people have registered employment, 750 people are registered as individual entrepreneurs, and 300 people have registered share rights in various organizations, which means they are involved in business.
Other support programmes have been implemented and are still ongoing.
The Deputy Prime Minister presented the housing assistance programmes to be implemented, the purpose of which is to provide the displaced persons with apartments or other places of residence.
Tigran Khachatryan answered the MPs’ questions. The deputy of the NA Civil Contract Faction Lilit Minasyan noted that our forcibly displaced compatriots are concerned that by receiving the RA citizenship, they may be deprived of the support programmes, as well as they may lose their old rights related to their property in Nagorno-Karabakh.
“First, I can say in terms of the support programmes in the RA. By accepting citizenship, becoming a citizen, our forcibly displaced compatriots are not deprived of any rights. The main programme, which continues to be in force, is the housing programme, and we say that there must be a citizen to be able to use this programme,” the Deputy Prime Minister underlined.
The Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Narek Mkrtchyan touched upon the new strategy for improving the demographic situation and the action plan for 2021-2026.
He mentioned that the measures implemented in recent years had a significant impact on the numerical structure of births. In 2018, 8.271 children were born, and in 2022 – 11.956 children: The increase was 44.6%.
Referring to the field of work and employment, the rapporteur informed that in the third quarter of 2023 the unemployment rate decreased to 12% compared to 15% in the same period of 2022.
Narek Mkrtchyan also presented in detail the sectoral support programmes for our compatriots forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh, talked about the complex programme for social inclusion of persons with disabilities for 2022-2027.
National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia
