Financial Assistance for Displaced Citizens of Artsakh to Continue Until Year-End

The government of Armenia will present a decision to extend monetary support for individuals forcibly displaced from Artsakh until the end of the year at its next session.

In an interview with Armenpress, Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Anna Jamakochyan stated that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Khachatryan have recently spoken about the ongoing financial assistance and housing affordability programs for forcibly displaced individuals from Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Yes, I want to emphasize that we will present the decision to continue the monetary support to the Government for approval next Thursday. The Prime Minister had already announced this days ago. We plan to extend the financial support without changes to the conditions until the end of December 2024. Let me remind you that starting from October 2023, financial payments of 40,000 drams have been made for each individual member of families without real estate, and 10,000 drams for those owning real estate, of course, provided they meet the other conditions of the program,” she noted.

“During these months, the conditions of the program have been continuously reviewed, resulting in an increase in new beneficiary groups. I believe we will maintain this improvement approach. Prior to the decision on the extension of the program, we conducted working discussions and received valuable suggestions from representatives of local and well-known NGOs in Artsakh, as well as individuals who are beneficiaries of the program and have been forcibly displaced from Artsakh.”

“At the same time, I believe that the monetary support program will continue into 2025 as well, but with a focus on changing the conditions to cater to the needs of unemployed and vulnerable individuals and families.”

Regarding the housing affordability program, it is currently in the developmental phase. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs is continuing meetings to clarify the conditions. It is important to note that discussions are not only held among state bodies but also include local and reputable NGO representatives and activists from Artsakh.

The purpose of the meetings is to consider the opinions of all parties involved in developing sustainable housing solutions for the forcibly displaced people from Artsakh in Armenia. Naturally, the needs of those displaced persons will be taken into account, with an aim to increase state capabilities and attract new resources to meet these needs.

Some conditions of the program have already been clarified; in particular, the amount of support for purchasing or constructing a home will be set at 3 million drams per individual. Additionally, in areas designated as investment priorities, the support amount can increase to 4 million drams and potentially up to 5 million drams in certain locations.

Beneficiaries of the program will include individuals who have obtained Armenian citizenship, as the program aims to support displaced individuals from Artsakh in establishing a stable life in Armenia. It is also clear that due to the scale of the program, it cannot be implemented all at once and will follow a phased approach, lasting 3-5 years, prioritizing families in urgent need, which will commence this year. Families with three or more children will have priority in this program.

“You mentioned that the monetary assistance program will continue until December, but the housing program will last 3-5 years. What will happen to the families who are not included in the housing program after December?”

“As I already mentioned, the Government will continue to assist our compatriots from Artsakh through various formats regarding housing and living expenses. I want to point out that although monetary assistance will continue into 2025, we consider creating favorable conditions for job placement in the labor market for the displaced individuals from Artsakh as the most crucial form of assistance.”

According to data provided by the State Revenue Committee of Armenia, as of February, over 11,000 forcibly displaced individuals from Artsakh have been provided with jobs in Armenia. To boost this process, the government has approved a program to support employers and job seekers from Artsakh, which consists of three components:

• The first component enables individuals forcibly displaced from Artsakh to receive education with state support, while also receiving a 50,000 dram scholarship.
• The second component allows selected individuals to undergo internships while receiving wages.
• The third component provides opportunities for employment by guaranteeing tax compensation for employers hiring individuals forcibly displaced from Artsakh.