FIRST MEETING WAS SYMBOLIC AND OBLIGING
Norair Hovsepian
Azat Artsakh Daily Newspaper, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
22-06-2007
Bako Sahakian’s headquarters was busy on the first day of the
election campaign. The presidential candidate first met with the
members of the Union of Families of Killed Azatamartiks. He gave a
brief overview of his election program. He said his decision to run
for presidency was made on the basis of consultations with different
people, NGOs, colleagues. As to the election program, Bako Sahakian
pledged fundamental changes in different spheres of life of the
country. According to him, the most urgent issue is the birthrate, for
the indices of the past 5-6 years are worrying, therefore the policy of
stimulating birthrate needs to be reconsidered, providing 1.5 thousand
and 2 thousand dollars to a family on the birth of the third and
fourth children respectively. Another important effort to help young
families is the mortgage lending policy. A 2.5 times rise in social
benefits and pensions, the one-time benefit on a child’s birth will
indirectly help increase the rate of births. Bako Sahakian assured that
the families of killed azatamartiks will get constant attention. The
second meeting was with the Union of the Azatamartiks of Artsakh. The
president of the Union, chief of the general staff of the armed force
of Armenia, Lieutenant-General Seiran Ohanian was also present. In
fact these meeting were not only symbolic but also completed each
other, for the first meeting was with the families of killed and
missing soldiers who need the care and help of the government, and the
second meeting was with the soldiers who had liberated Artsakh and who
now must contribute to the reconstruction of Artsakh, Bako Sahakian
said. The duty of the government is to provide favorable conditions,
from medical services to soft loans. It is especially necessary in
rural areas where people cannot borrow money from the bank because
they have nothing to offer as collateral. Besides, it is foreseen
to promote small and medium-sized businesses, restore processing
factories, develop agriculture. Bako Sahakian pledged changes in the
tax policy. Once again the demographic problem was discussed. The
policy of resettlement will be promoted, but the stimulation of
birthrate is also important. "Over 25 thousand young people aged 25
and upyears are not married. 60 percent are male," Bako Sahakian said,
pointing to social and economic problems, which are the cause of this
problem. The presidential candidate said they have foreseen to provide
300 thousand drams to every newly-wed couple and other sums on the
birth of the third and fourth children. The problem of housing for
young families is also important. The funds allocated for mortgage
lending is foreseen to increase 5 times, up to 2.5 billion drams.