Yerevan's Central Parking Lots Could Serve as Shelters: The Problem of Basements is Worrying

In all 12 administrative districts of Yerevan, basements of apartment buildings and parking lots could serve as shelters and hideouts. This was stated by Deputy Mayor Hrachya Sarksyan during a Yerevan Council meeting, addressing the issue of using basements as refuge.

"We have 4622 multi-apartment buildings in Yerevan, but not all of them have basements. The capital has both shelters and refuges. Essentially, basements in multi-apartment buildings are turning into shelters. It’s easier to organize work in the Central administrative district, where parking lots and basements of high-rise buildings can serve as shelters. Various issues emerged in this regard during the war," Sarksyan noted.

City Mayor Hayk Marutyan, speaking on the same issue, pointed out that the rubbish accumulated in the basements of Yerevan's multi-apartment buildings and the condition of these spaces cannot be resolved in 1-2 days. "In fact, it’s the sacred duty of the residents to keep those basements empty, which they have occupied and closed off. I have personally gone and told them they must keep the basements open; I have opened them, and then a few days later, they close them again, saying that their goods will be stolen. I told them, if something happens, what is more important, that goods or the lives of residents? I can now say that it is unlikely we will clear all those basements within a year. The potential can be increased if the residents empty their basements themselves and make them available to the building. We do not have the leverage to forcibly empty the basements," the mayor said.