Since the Armenian authorities, led by Pashinyan, discussed issues of the socioeconomic integration of Artsakh residents yesterday, while promising certain pre-election solutions, I would like to make a few comments on this matter. Former Artsakh State Minister Artak Beglaryan wrote about this on his Facebook page.
“1. When we repeatedly stated that the government is making decisions and implementing problematic programs with virtually zero inclusiveness, which in no way fully take into account the needs and opinions of beneficiaries and expert suggestions, the authorities either turned a deaf ear or occasionally staged a theatrical performance of inclusiveness, holding official meetings with unknown residents of Artsakh, as Pashinyan did yesterday.
2. When we raised the alarm at the launch of the housing program, declaring it a poor program and, during the process, claiming it had failed, we were harassed and insulted in every way, with no desire to listen to the beneficiaries and experts in any way within the framework of an inclusive process. Now Pashinyan himself claims that only 1,700 families have benefited from the program in almost two years, which is about 7% of the planned number.
3. When we repeatedly raised the alarm, claiming that the planned amounts were significantly out of line with market prices for apartments, they again evaded the answer, citing unrealistic prices listed in the cadastral register. Now…” After a long delay, they promise to make certain changes to housing conditions outside Yerevan, which in itself is good for thousands of families, but this is an incomplete and belated solution, as the secondary housing market will again react and largely neutralize the increase in support.
4. When we pointed out that the special needs and status of low-income families, families of victims, and other vulnerable groups were being completely ignored, leading to additional social and legal problems, they pointed to obvious administrative difficulties, following the logic of lazy, indifferent, and ultra-liberal bureaucrats.
5. When we proposed incentivizing home construction instead of buying them on the secondary market, so that the approximately $2 billion increase in public debt would at least create additional value in the economy and renew the housing stock, they again cited pointless administrative difficulties, the regulation and overcoming of which is the responsibility of officials.
6. When we recommended implementing effective employment programs and integrating them with the housing program, decision-makers either again ignored us or accepted certain problems without implementing any improvements. After that.
7. When we declared that cutting housing assistance and the urgent social assistance program were misguided decisions that would lead to a significant increase in poverty among the population of Artsakh, they again ignored our warnings, resulting in significant and widespread problems not only in terms of the amount of assistance but also in the artificial denial of assistance, while the partial extension of the housing assistance program was purely electoral.
8. When we sounded the alarm that all residents of Artsakh were being deprived of their RA citizenship status by an unconstitutional decision and proposed at least implementing a mechanism for group acquisition of RA citizenship to avoid widespread and protracted violations and administrative hassles, they again decided to apply the most complex and exhausting mechanisms, not forgetting to periodically persecute Artsakh residents for not applying for RA citizenship.
9. When we raised the alarm about policies and rhetoric inciting hostility and discrimination against the Artsakh portion of the Armenian people, “Programs that are implemented and authorized at the highest level, ensuring absolute impunity for their authors and implementers even under criminal prosecution, are still surprised why the people of Artsakh are filled with distrust of them and the ill-conceived programs they have developed.”
And this series, unfortunately, is very long. Now, the “concerned” Pashinyan and his courtiers claim they want to support the people of Artsakh in resettling to Armenia and overcoming psychological difficulties. “Gentlemen and ladies, officials, all your programs and efforts will fail unless you sincerely, compassionately, and professionally ensure the inclusiveness of these programs and respect for the rights and identity of the people of Artsakh, which contradicts the value system, political philosophy, and principles of governance of many of you,” he wrote.