How food will be distributed to citizens in Artsakh

In order to ensure an equitable distribution of food products to the population, a special sales and purchasing regulation is being developed by the Operational Headquarters of the Republic of Artsakh and the Housing Issues Committee. This was reported by Armen Mangasaryan, the head of the Housing Issues Committee of Artsakh, in an interview with a correspondent of Artsakhpress.

"The aim is to distribute the available food supplies equitably and proportionally. As queues are already observed in the market, people are purchasing more than their designated share, which is why this regulation is being developed. Starting from January 20, citizens will be able to buy five categories of products exclusively through special coupons: pasta, buckwheat, rice, sugar, and oil. The coupons will be laminated paper. They will be of two types. There will be a coupon for one liter of oil per month, which is designated for one person regardless of age. The other four product categories will be allocated at one kilogram per person but will be provided to citizens in half kilograms. In other words, the citizen will approach and receive two coupons, which will have specific dates indicated on them. For example, the first half-kilogram can be used from January 20 to February 5, while the second coupon will be valid from February 6 to February 20, ensuring that citizens do not acquire the supplies all at once," Mangasaryan elaborated.

According to him, the listing of residents actually residing in the communities has already begun as of today. The list will be provided in electronic format to the regional administrations, which will gather and send it to the Housing Issues Committee. "A special electronic program is being developed for the implementation of the process, which will be ready soon. We will input the information gathered from the communities into this system, after which special points will be opened in Stepanakert and district centers. There will be about 20 points in the capital and two in each district center. Citizens will approach the service point with their passports or one family member's passport (not copies); after their data are entered by the operators, a receipt will be printed, clearly indicating the names of the individuals for whom the citizen approached to receive coupons and product quantities. With that receipt, they will approach two other operators, who will sign the receipt and provide the coupons," Mangasaryan detailed, adding that if the individual's data has already been entered in the districts, the program will not allow them to benefit again.

He stated that the coupons will be provided to citizens on January 17 or 18, but they can use them starting from the morning of January 20. On January 20, specific product assortments will be delivered to the stores. Rural residents can buy the products either from their locality or from any store. Residents will receive their coupons on-site through the community mayor; each family will sign and receive their coupon. According to Armen Mangasaryan, those individuals who hold foreign citizenship, have passports, and are actually present in the Republic of Artsakh will also receive these coupons. "If similar problems are noticed with other product categories in the future, we can change the list of those products," Mangasaryan concluded.