Government Extends Monthly Payments for Residents of Shurnukh and Vorotan Until June

The Government of Armenia has extended the deadline for providing financial assistance to residents of Shurnukh and Vorotan, who lost their homes, until June.

We reported in early May that residents of Shurnukh, whose homes have come under Azerbaijani control, have yet to receive new housing, but the authorities had stopped paying them monthly financial aid, which was also used to pay for rent.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia informed Sputnik Armenia that there are no financial provisions in the 2024 state budget for monthly payments to the residents of Shurnukh.

To understand the situation, the media had sent inquiries to the Syunik Regional Administration, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, and subsequently to the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia. In response to our inquiries, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs stated that they had received a proposal from the Syunik Regional Administration to extend the program, which has been forwarded to the Office of the Prime Minister.

“At the same time, we inform you that according to information received from the Committee of Urban Development, the construction works of a residential complex consisting of 13 houses in Shurnukh community of Goris municipality in Syunik region have been completed. On May 10, 2024, the Goris municipality issued Act N 10 (permit for operation),” the response from the Office of the Prime Minister noted.

It should be mentioned that during today’s session of the Government of Armenia, the project was approved. The monthly assistance of 68,000 dram will be extended until June 2024, with 39 beneficiaries.

Recall that after the 44-day war, part of Shurnukh (13 houses) came under Azerbaijani control. The construction of the 13 new houses in the new neighborhood was supposed to be completed back in 2021; however, the deadline for completion was officially postponed 6 times. In response to the latest inquiry from Sputnik Armenia, the Committee of Urban Development stated that the construction of the new neighborhood is expected to be completed in April 2024.

On May 22, the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan announced that the distribution process of houses in Shurnukh will take place in the coming days.