Government of Armenia to compensate accommodation, food expenses of stranded Artsakh residents

YEREVAN, JANUARY 12, ARMENPRESS. The Government of Armenia will allocate 114,850,900 drams to provide accommodation and food for 506 of the 1100 citizens of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) who are now in Armenia and are unable to return home as a result of the blockade of Lachin corridor.

The stranded residents of Artsakh are accommodated in 17 different hotels in Yerevan and Goris. 96 million drams will be allocated to the provincial government of Syunik to compensate the hotel expenses, and 18 million to Yerevan City Hall.

The Lachin Corridor is blocked by Azerbaijan since 12 December 2022. The corridor is the only travel and supply route for the 120,000 Armenians of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh). The blockade has caused a humanitarian crisis. Shortages of essential products such as food and medicine prompted Nagorno Karabakh authorities to introduce rationing. Hospitals are keeping planned surgeries on hold. 1,100 residents of Nagorno Karabakh, including 270 children who were in Armenia when the road was blocked are unable to return to their homes. Furthermore, Azerbaijan has barred repair crews from accessing the area where the only high-voltage power line supplying Artsakh with electricity from Armenia was damaged on January 9.