"FAYLABAZAR" REPLACES RUSSIA

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[12:06 pm] 05 March, 2009

The current financial/economic downturn has increased the number of
people seeking employment in the cheap labor market of Yerevan, also
known as "Faylabazar". One may find a couple of hundred men aged 20-80
seeking jobs at the "Faylabazar", which starts from the far end of the
"Ayrarat" cinema to the section of the circus.

They work every day. As one young man said, "the Bible says work for
6 days and rest one day, but we don’t have that day."

According to market workers, they offer their services at prices below
those of the market. Employers come and wait in their cars. The men
approach the cars, find out what they need and one of them leaves.

Some lucky people move up to the employers fast and go with him. There
are also many unemployed with college degrees.

Serob, 62, used to work in a factory, but now he is forced to take
care of the family and does everything.

In fact, the majority of them are people who are working on
construction either in Armenia or Russia.

"Construction is currently down and we are waiting for new jobs. That’s
why we come out here to at least make ends meet," said workers at the
"Faylabazar".

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress