Armenian public organizations settling families in Karabakh

Arminfo
19 Mar 04

YEREVAN

About 80 poor families from Armenia will be resettled in the Nagornyy
Karabakh Republic in 2004, the executive director of the Yerkir
(Country) union of public organizations for repatriation and
settlement, Sevak Artsruni, told a news conference at a club of
journalists today.

He said that about 35 families from Armenia would settle in Karabakh
in the next two months. The settlers will be provided with cottages
and land plots of 1,500-2,000 sq.m.

Moreover, Artsruni said that the settlers would be legally given some
privileges, for instance, they will be exempted from taxes. It should
be noted that Yerkir (the union includes five public organizations of
Armenia and Artsakh Karabakh ) has operated since November 2002.

He said that developing border zones is very important for Armenia
like for any developing country. Several schools, kindergartens and
hospitals were built in 2003 in Karabakh’s Novyy Shaumyan District New
Shaumyan – Azerbaijan’s Goranboy District and Hadrut District thanks
to Yerkir. The total sum of the programme was 186,356 dollars and
22,732 euros.

Artsruni also said that construction work will be conducted in
Mardakert Agdara , Hadrut and Novyy Shaumyan Districts of Karabakh, as
well as in Tavush and Gegharkunik Districts of Armenia (over 300
settlements). The total sum of the programmes for 2004 is over 400,000
dollars. The programme is financed by the French, Canadian and US
charitable funds France-Karabakh, Armenia, Monte Melkonyan and by
ethnic Armenian families living abroad and engaged in charity
activities.

He said that Yerkir is currently registering families from Russia and
other CIS countries who have expressed their desire to return to their
historic motherland, but have no opportunities to do that.