Video: Return the Passport Department. Protest near Government Building

Residents of Charentsavan held a protest near the government building, demanding the return of the city’s passport department. They argue that moving the passport department for a city with a population of 40,000 to Hrazdan not only creates inconveniences for residents but also leads to chaos within the department itself.

“We are here because of the order issued by Minister of Internal Affairs Vahe Ghazaryan on January 12, which merged and optimized the passport departments. There is chaos in all the passport departments. The Charentsavan department has been transferred to Hrazdan, which has aroused the anger of the residents of the enlarged Charentsavan community,” said protest participant Gevorg Hakobyan in an interview with reporters.

According to him, they submitted a letter with more than 8,000 signatures to the government, asking Prime Minister to return the passport department, and they will also submit a letter to the police. “After moving the passport service to Hrazdan, a small area of 140 square kilometers serves a population of 130,000 from Hrazdan, Charentsavan, and Tsaghkadzor. Lines form from six in the morning, creating a terrible situation, and traveling back and forth is also a problem. Thousands of citizens are facing issues with the passport services, and each trip to Hrazdan adds an additional financial burden. Why should people go to Hrazdan several times and fall under extra strain?” Hakobyan stated.