Arman Yeghiazaryan: Number of repatriates to increase after adoption of law “On Repatriation”
3 minute read
YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS:
The Armenian government approved the law "On Repatriation" worked out by the Armenian Diaspora Ministry. It will soon be presented for the discussion to the National Assembly. The law has been worked out on the basis of "Concept on organization of Repatriation Process" which has also been approved by the government.
Head of the Repatriation Department of the Diaspora Ministry Arman Yeghiazaryan said speaking to Armenpress that the world experience and particularly the Armenian one shows that if there exists big Diaspora and issue of preservation of Armenian identity the main way of the solution of the issue must be repatriation. "If we want to promote the repatriation in Diaspora and improve of ethnographic situation in Armenia, we must conduct repatriation", he said, saying that he named the concept "repatriate" and "repatriation" definitions, the priorities connected with the state regulation, fix the basic principles of the RA law "About Repatriation".
"After the adoption of law, I think that the number of repatriated people will sharply increase", the head of the department said, adding that the document will already clearly set up a state authoritative body and undertake necessary events.
"I think the expected mass will fluctuate from 1500-2000 people. The number of people applying for getting RA citizenship is incomparably large, but it does not mean that they will all live in Armenia", he said, noting that it is difficult to separate them but the "repatriate" conception intends a person who comes to Armenia to live for good.
"When we are saying "repatriate" we mean an Armenian living outside of Armenia who is not Armenian citizen or being a citizen of other state acquired RA citizenship", Yeghiazaryan said, adding that the issues of citizens are being regulated by migration legislation, according to him, not RA citizens may be considered repatriates.
About 7-7.5 million Armenians are living in Diaspora.