Displaced Persons from Artsakh Must Open Bank Accounts to Receive Financial Assistance

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, a consultation was held at the Government, during which the humanitarian assistance programs provided to our compatriots forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh and the subsequent steps were discussed.

Summarizing the discussions, the Prime Minister stated, "Dear colleagues, we discussed the process of providing humanitarian assistance to our sisters and brothers who were forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh, the work completed, and the upcoming tasks. First of all, I would like to thank the 'Humanitarian Center,' which operated under the coordination of Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Khachaturyan, all members of the Government, departments, non-governmental organizations, local self-governing bodies, regional administrations, and volunteers for organizing the reception and urgent placement of our compatriots displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh at an appropriate level. Naturally, it is understood that in these crisis conditions, not everything has been perfect; there have certainly been some shortcomings, but overall, I believe that both public response and our observations, as well as the fact that, in essence, we do not have any extreme crisis situation, were the most important support in terms of humanitarian matters. But what is already a crisis in itself, we do not have a more aggravated situation than that."

Regarding medium-term actions, Nikol Pashinyan stated that one of the top priorities relates to providing cash assistance for the primary needs of our forcibly displaced sisters and brothers. "You are aware that a decision has been made, and it has been announced that each forcibly displaced person from Nagorno-Karabakh, including children and adults, will receive a one-time cash assistance of 100,000 drams per person. Our task is to deliver this assistance to our sisters and brothers as quickly as possible. In this regard, we also need their cooperation, and I would like to ask that our forcibly displaced sisters and brothers who do not have bank accounts approach the nearest, most convenient bank to open an account for future receipt of a bank card," said the Prime Minister, adding that, of course, obtaining a bank card may take some time, but accounts can be opened quickly, and the Government will transfer the 100,000 dram payments to those accounts, allowing people to access them using their passports.

For those who already have bank cards, the Government will transfer the funds to their accounts and cards in the coming week. "Of course, we know that a large number of people do not have documents. In such cases, it is necessary to obtain appropriate certificates from the Unified Social Service, and with that certificate, it will be possible to have a bank account, or through other means, the payments will be accessible to our forcibly displaced sisters, brothers, and children. In the case of children, their data will be tied to their mothers' names, and the mothers will also receive their children's funds in their accounts," added Pashinyan.

Another decision we have made relates to providing support for accommodation and housing expenses. We have decided that each forcibly displaced person will receive 40,000 drams as reimbursement for housing expenses, plus 10,000 drams as support for utility expenses. It is very important that our forcibly displaced sisters and brothers approach banks as quickly as possible to open accounts so that we can transfer those funds efficiently. But also, before the funds are transferred, we can confirm that, for example, a family of five will receive 750,000 drams in support from the state and Government in October. I also believe that with this amount, according to budget calculations, they can undertake certain actions. Specifically, those in temporary shelters should start looking for rentals of apartments or living spaces. Of course, local self-governing bodies and regional administrations have also been instructed to assist them in this regard. It is crucial that our many volunteers facilitate meetings and agreements between potential renters and those offering rental living spaces," the Prime Minister said.

Nikol Pashinyan also emphasized the importance of addressing the issue of securing employment for our forcibly displaced sisters and brothers from Nagorno-Karabakh. "We are also taking measures, for example, to involve specialists in the field of general education and healthcare to be employed in schools and health care sectors. It is also very important for the ministries to actively disseminate information about job vacancies. Of course, there are specific procedures and competitions for employment; those procedures will not be nullified, but on the other hand, we will simplify them as much as possible to allow existing teachers and healthcare specialists easier opportunities for employment, as well as for professionals in other fields. Relevant instructions have been given in this regard," the Prime Minister stated.

The meeting also addressed the involvement of our compatriots from Nagorno-Karabakh in contractor companies engaged in state capital investments. "We will establish connections and collect demands regarding job vacancies, and during the broadcasts of the humanitarian center, we will disseminate this information as widely as possible. This is a critical moment because, for example, if a citizen forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh sees that there is a vacant teaching position in some community in Shirak province, and they can apply for that job, this information needs to reach them as quickly as possible, as they must plan accordingly for residential space or rental housing in that community. We must do everything possible so that the 750,000 drams, or 1.5 million drams for a family of ten, help in managing effective spending because the issue is not just having money; it’s also about spending it effectively. Particularly if a person has to settle in a particular village in Shirak province and is currently in another region, their planning in spending this money is crucial. For this reason, I believe the humanitarian center and its public communication must be very active in assisting people with these issues," Pashinyan emphasized.

Moreover, the Prime Minister highlighted that other issues will arise, such as the problem of schooling for children. It would be more sensible to enroll children immediately in the schools of the place where they will be living for at least the next six months to avoid putting them through double stress. Of course, the same approach should be taken for students so that they integrate into our higher education system, meaning their education process should not be interrupted. We must also take measures to support the education process and promote high achievement levels," Nikol Pashinyan stated.

The next significant and urgent issue, according to the Prime Minister, concerns the large number of pensioners forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh. "The good news is that most of them have bank cards, and we will not face significant difficulties in accessibility when providing them assistance. Financially, our approach is that they will continue to receive their pensions in the Republic of Armenia. However, we have a purely legal issue depending on their status as forcibly displaced persons and refugees. Our position is that we will transfer the funds, and we will resolve this matter as soon as possible. If we achieve final solutions to legal issues in the meantime, that’s great; if we do not have final solutions, we will ensure that the social minimum needs of individuals are addressed. We will solve the legal issues along the way without depriving our compatriots of access to any support during this time," the Prime Minister concluded.

Summarizing, I would like to say that today’s most crucial task is for our compatriots forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh to open accounts at their nearest convenient banks. The Central Bank has already discussed with the banks to ensure that these accounts are opened free of charge and as quickly as possible. We must also monitor the situation; if we see that queues are forming anywhere, we need to guide our volunteers to manage those queues and assist people so that these actions can take place in a more favorable environment, ensuring the normal operation of the banks is not disturbed," Pashinyan concluded.