The opposition Homeland Salvation Movement has posted the following on its Facebook page:
“During a meeting with Vazgen Manukyan, the opposition’s unified candidate for Prime Minister of Armenia, a group of Armenian repatriates told Manukyan that no government of Armenia has ever presented a serious plan for repatriation.
The leaders and representatives of the Return to Armenia organization dealing with repatriation and integration issues and the Repatriation Advisory Office of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun political party talked about the problems facing Armenians in the Diaspora, the current perceptions of the ideology of repatriation in Armenia and abroad and discussed what can be done to help Armenians abroad return to Armenia.
“Armenia must first have a vision for repatriation and formulate the goals and objectives of repatriation, after which it can develop programs and a strategy,” Manukyan said, adding that these issues were part of the future government’s agenda during the Movement that began in 1988.
The state policy on repatriation must be hinged on not only patriotism and emotions, but must also derive from economic calculations, the country’s security, demography, human and professional resources. The repatriates expressed their views and presented the problems that are creating obstacles for the return to Armenia and later integration.
Manukyan suggested that the attendees prepare a document that can serve as a ground and benchmark for the future authorities of Armenia to develop a concept paper on repatriation and organize the future processes.”