People Are Leaving Villages: Geghamasar Community Head Sounds Alarm on Emigration

People are leaving villages due to lack of means of livelihood, and this is not enough; the government is also not providing any support to our villagers living in danger next to Azerbaijanis. This was stated by Geghamasar community head Hakob Avetyan in an interview with LURER.com.

He mentioned that the current situation is leading to a crisis in livestock farming, particularly in the border villages of Kut, Sotk, Azat, and Norabak, because a significant part of pastures and hayfields has been taken over by Azerbaijanis. “As we know, in border villages, people solve their bread issue through livestock farming and agriculture,” the community head said, noting that residents are also unable to engage in agriculture since the government is not providing any assistance to them.

“Every year, the government provided subsidies for seeds, fuel, and fertilizers, but this year, for some unknown reason, it has not approved the subsidy program, and we do not think it can be approved in the coming days either. People can't even engage in agriculture, and many no longer have favorable conditions to stay in the villages. They think that if they are going to be hungry and thirsty, they will leave the villages; some will go to Russia, others to Abovyan, Hrazdan, wherever they can,” he emphasized, adding that the social situation of people has dropped to zero, and they are facing a bread crisis.

He noted that emigration from their settlements has already begun and that it is not only the aforementioned four villages that are experiencing this phenomenon; it is widespread.

Our interlocutor is convinced that if the government showed special consideration for the residents of the border villages, they would not leave their homes, regardless of the presence of Azerbaijanis in Armenian territory. “If the government, after all, provided support to the border communities, people would at least stay for those privileges. They are currently living in danger next to Azerbaijanis, and people living under such conditions need hope, which would be support from the government,” he remarked.

The head of Geghamasar community sees a great danger in the abandonment of homes by the population, believing that if residents leave border villages, Azerbaijanis could easily take over those villages within a year. “If residents abandon border villages, Azerbaijanis could opportunistically occupy them without any hindrance. The authority should not blame anyone for leaving the territories; if we put ourselves in their shoes, why would anyone risk their child's future? If the government does not think about the individual and the individual does not feel protected on a state level, then that individual will never think about such a state,” said Hakob Avetyan.