Minister presents progress of housing and integration programs for people displaced from Karabakh
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The main goal of state support programs for people displaced from Karabakh is to help them settle and integrate in Armenia, Minister of Labor and Welfare Arsen Torosyan said at a meeting organized by the Civil Contract faction in parliament, addressing difficulties related to housing, citizenship and access to the programs.
The minister stressed that the government is ready to discuss proposals to accelerate integration processes.
“As for the integration processes, yes, let’s discuss how we can speed them up. We are ready to do that and are doing everything in that direction, from the housing program to the other programs,” Torosyan said.
According to the minister, the process of obtaining citizenship has been simplified, while the number of beneficiaries of the housing program is growing. He said the number of housing certificates redeemed had reached 4,991.
“Dozens of citizens are purchasing homes, while dozens of others are receiving certificates to purchase homes,” he noted.
Addressing the amount of assistance provided for purchasing housing, Torosyan recalled that the value of the certificate for communities near Yerevan had been increased by one million drams. According to him, the change also applies to beneficiaries who had received certificates previously.
At the same time, the minister stressed that housing difficulties are also linked to the balance between supply and demand in the real estate market. In his assessment, communities near Yerevan face not only a price problem but also a shortage of housing available for sale.
“It is not only a price problem; there is also a problem with housing availability,” Torosyan said.
The minister noted that the program provides for assistance of five million drams per person in some settlements located farther from Yerevan. In this context, he also referred to the construction of schools, kindergartens and roads, emphasizing the importance of preventing the population from concentrating only in Yerevan and its neighboring communities.
According to Torosyan, families are choosing different solutions: some beneficiaries who have jobs take out additional loans on top of the assistance, while others purchase homes in more distant settlements in line with their financial means.
Addressing the housing needs of small families, the minister presented a separate program intended mainly for elderly people and persons with disabilities. According to him, beneficiaries’ interest in this program remains low.
Torosyan also said that certain problems arising from a lack of documents are being discussed by an interagency commission. Applicants’ education, employment and other factual circumstances are being examined to determine whether they qualify for a housing certificate.
At the same time, the minister said some applicants do not meet the requirements established by a government decision. In this context, he also mentioned cases in which applicants previously owned property or a share of property in Armenia.
Addressing the exercise of the rights of displaced people in international forums, Torosyan said that Armenia’s integration-oriented policy does not mean they cannot exercise their rights through other means, including under international conventions.