Many People in Artsakh Do Not Want to Work due to Good Income, Kerobyan on Support Programs

I believe that the social assistance we provide to help people live in Artsakh and not leave should be replaced with development programs, said Acting Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan while responding to questions from Telegram users, according to Tert.am.

He mentioned that he has held meetings with his counterparts in Artsakh. “My colleagues say that because of this social assistance, people are not motivated to work in the vacant positions available, particularly in agriculture and construction, and also in the military. However, the situation here is relatively normal. There are many job opportunities in construction and agriculture, but there are no people who want to work. Many people in Artsakh, and Stepanakert now has a larger population than ever, do not want to work because they already receive good incomes just for being there. Now our task is to change this attitude so that people begin to work,” he said.

The acting minister also spoke about the necessity of funding small businesses. He emphasized that funding in the small business sector is an issue not only in Artsakh but also in Armenia. “It is impossible to get a loan without collateral, which is a barrier for newcomers, especially women, since women traditionally do not have property registered in their name,” he stated.

Kerobyan also highlighted that Artsakh should focus on high technologies, noting that there are good opportunities in this regard.