ArmenPress
June 23 2004

MOST NEED REFUGEES TO RECEIVE HOUSING

YEREVAN, JUNE 23, ARMENPRESS: An inter-agency commission, set up
to handle a government-approved plan of actions aiming to resolve the
housing problems of Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan who arrived
here between 1988-1992 held a meeting today, attended also by
representatives of international donor organizations, contributing to
the program.
According to the head of migration and refugees department of the
Armenian government Gagik Yeganian, housing will be provided to the
most needy 3740 refugee families. The project cost 16.2 mln dollar, 5
mln of which will be released by Armenian government on medium term
expenditure program and the other part is expected to be invested by
the donor organizations.
According to Yeganian, a study of refugee families and an
assessment of primary needs was conducted while developing the
project. Refugees living on rent or with their relatives are not
eligible . Some 3,470 refugee families will be provided with
permanent housing by the project costing 16.2 mln dollars. The
project is implemented in two main parts – housing certificates will
be provided to 3,218 families and houses will be built mainly in
rural areas for 252 families with a slot of land.
It is planned to establish a project implementation office. The
committee will mainly aim to attain funds for the project and
supervision. Donor organization are suggested to notify about their
participation in 20 days time.
About 360,000 ethnic Armenians arrived in Armenia between 1988-92
as a result of the conflict in Karabagh. Some 60,000 have acquired
Armenian citizenship since 2000 while their number totaled only 5000
before 2000.