WE LIVE IN OUR LIBERATED LAND NOT IN OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

KarabakhOpen
22-05-2007 11:51:27

Vasily Nalbandyan, the head of the administration of Shahumyan region,
held an interview with the KarabakhOpen.

KO: Mr. Nalbandyan, how is resettlement going on?

I think it should be called armenization rather than resettlement. The
activities foreseen by the government program are carried out, and
our greatest goal is to get everyone acknowledge that we live in our
liberated land not in occupied territories, and it is necessary not
only to resettle these territories but also to revive the Armenian
spirit there. The first thing we do we build schools, where the
Armenian alphabet is taught.

KO: How many houses are built every year? What is the dynamics of
development?

We build 40 houses a year in accordance with the government program.

Besides, we have a 40 percent natural growth of the population. Our
region is young, the average age is 24-26, and the rate of youth
exceeds the indices of the other regions. Besides building houses
and schools, the government makes efforts to provide them with
employment. The level of employment is high in our region – 80 percent.

KO: What are the primary problems of the region in your opinion?

We have 16 villages. Another is under construction. The communities
have electricity. We have a shortage of teachers. I hope this problem
will be solved because every year 14-18 students from out region get
financial aid at Artsakh State University. Besides, we have problems
with roads. With infrastructures our region would become the most
attractive in NKR.

In 7 villages there is already mobile telephone, we hope
Karabakh Telecom will continue. We can watch satellite channels
but, unfortunately, we cannot watch the Public Channel of
Artsakh. Meanwhile, our region is strategic, and people need to know
what is underway in the country. We get newspapers but it does not
make up for it…