Poverty and Emigration: Will 100,000 Armenians Leave Artsakh? Artak Beglaryan

The government today made a decision that deepens the poverty of approximately 100,000 residents of Artsakh and will push many towards emigration. This was stated by the former Minister of State of Artsakh, Artak Beglaryan, on his Facebook page.

“Today, Pashinyan's government adopted yet another act of ignorance and denial, announcing their unwavering will to remain in the first grade for at least another year. In spite of:

• the demands of the large-scale rally organized by the Council for the Protection of Artsakh Residents' Rights,
• the publicly and privately presented substantiated arguments,
• their self-confessions regarding some errors in existing and planned regulations,
• the promises and willingness to correct those errors,
• the heartfelt romances dedicated to inclusiveness and democracy,

the government today made a decision that will simply deepen the poverty of around 100,000 residents of Artsakh and lead many towards the path of emigration. The poverty rate among Artsakh residents, which stands at about 70-80%, will soon increase, with the majority falling below the extreme poverty line.

Instead of helping displaced Artsakh residents to strengthen their presence in Mother Armenia, this government perceives and presents us as 'enemies' to fuel their internal and external political dreams and justify their failures.

A few days ago, the government was prepared to offer a half-hearted and formal concession, namely extending the previous rent support program for another month, in exchange for the dismantling of the headquarters set up in Liberty Square. This proposal was a testament to the effectiveness of public pressure in such situations.

This means that our struggle must gain broader momentum for the protection of the rights of the people of Artsakh. Regarding the objectives of our struggle, although a total of 12 main objectives have been formulated in the demands of the rally, at this moment, the most urgent and mass is ensuring the stable and dignified living conditions of Artsakh residents in Mother Armenia. Without the realization of this objective, all other goals are either futile or much more difficult to achieve.

UNITE FOR THE SAKE OF OUR RIGHTS!”