‘This is not a public interest; it is a vested profit; they want to compensate us with pennies,’ say residents of the Firdus neighborhood

Residents of the Firdus neighborhood in Yerevan held a protest today, February 23, in front of the Government building, demanding adequate compensation for their properties. It is noteworthy that back in 2015, the government decided to demolish several houses and warehouses in the Firdus neighborhood based on public interest.

The majority of residents have received compensation, but some still consider the amount inadequate and refuse to leave their homes.

One resident, Rafael Safaryan, told reporters: “Most of the people have signed contracts; they have faced social and health issues. Now there is 1,200 square meters left, and gradually, they are expanding the public interest area. Recently, they have included 7 Khanchyan Street under the public interest. They announced that the price per square meter is between $3,000 to $6,000, but there are residents who haven’t even received a letter yet. I wanted to put up a gate at my own residence, but the next day they came and removed it, saying that I have no right to because it is under public interest. On February 17, I received another letter stating that a 450-square-meter building is on a 840-square-meter plot, along with a 360-square-meter illegal structure for which we also pay property tax. They have valued everything at 408 million drams. This is not public interest; it is a vested profit, and they want to compensate us with pennies. I refuse to agree. This is my ancestral home, where I grew up. The house is three stories tall, situated in the city center, yet they are trying to buy it from me for peanuts. This is not a public interest; it is a business that will yield excessive profits for the developer.”

He added that there are 112 residents left in the neighborhood who have received letters indicating the need to vacate the area by April 15. Safaryan stated that they do not intend to leave their homes until they receive the market value of their property plus 15%.

“We want to be heard and accepted by the government,” said another neighborhood resident.

It is worth recalling that the Firdus neighborhood, located in the center of Yerevan, was first declared a public interest in 2008, and the same decision was reaffirmed on March 22, 2018, one month before the ‘Velvet Revolution.’ The development of the neighborhood is expected to be completed in 2023-2024. According to the development project, the new Firdus neighborhood will include both residential buildings and hotels, as well as business centers.