"OUR CARPETS TELL ABOUT SHUSHI"

Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
21 July 2006

Ishkhan Pap Ltd. In Shushi produces carpets. The company was set
up in 2000, it has 4-5 workers, each of them weaves an average of 1
cu m of carpet a month (for 20 thousand drams, about 49 US dollars
per cu m). The owner and manager of the company Ludvig Abrahamyan
says threads are bought elsewhere, the carpets are mostly sold in
the town. Formerly he hired designers, now he designs the carpets
himself. They mainly make souvenir carpets with Karabakh symbols. They
also make big carpets and carpet-runners on order. Mrs. Abrahamian
says in winter they do not have much work because their clients
are mainly tourists. Business owners in Shushi point to the taxes
as one of their major problems. They think the tax load must be
much lighter considering the peculiarities of Shushi. Nevertheless,
businessmen tackle their problems. Currently they are reconstructing
the building. In winter it is impossible to work because the rooms
are cold. After improving the conditions they will probably expand
production.

AA.

21-07-2006