Nagorno-Karabakh refugees treat extension of social assistance programme as temporary solution

The decision of the Armenian authorities to extend the social assistance programme for refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh for two months is only a temporary measure. The authorities do not take into account the realities of life in Armenia and housing prices. The above was claimed by the temporary displaced persons and participants in the protests against the termination of the assistance programme interviewed by the “Caucasian Knot”.

At a meeting held on April 30, the government of Armenia decided to make changes and additions to the social assistance programme for the people displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh to cover their living and maintenance costs.

“Starting from April 2025, the revised cash assistance programme to cover the cost of living and other expenses of displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh will be valid for two months not only for the target groups, but also for all other displaced persons who are not included in these target groups. Therefore, in April and May 2025, each person aged 18 to 62, displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh, will also become a recipient of support in the amount of 40,000 drams,” the press service for the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Armenia reported.

Regarding the programme on additional urgent financial assistance to refugee families in dire need, for which the Armenian government began accepting applications on April 22, the press service has reported that “the mentioned programme has been postponed.” “The applications received will be considered starting from June 2025 under the same conditions,” the press service for the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Armenia reported.

In particular, an application for urgent support may be submitted if the family income does not exceed 55,000 drams per family member. In such a case, the family may receive assistance: 40,000 drams for one family member and 10,000 drams for each subsequent family member. The urgent support programme also requires that the family does not have its own real estate and a car manufactured after 2017. An electronic application for participation in the programme can be submitted on the website of the Ministry of Social Security of Armenia.

The refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh interviewed by the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent have expressed their satisfaction with the authorities’ decision to extend the social assistance programme, but called it only a temporary relief.

“If it is possible to extend social assistance to the residents of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh, – note of the ‘Caucasian Knot’) for several months only by removing a protest tent from Freedom Square, then I completely support that,” stated Nagorno-Karabakh public and state figure Aramayis Aghabekyan when commenting on the situation.

Vage Arutyunyan, an activist and refugee from Nagorno-Karabakh, has noted that “the social assistance programme gives small refugee families the opportunity to live in Armenia and not migrate.”

“Social assistance is not income for a refugee family. The government does not take into account real estate prices in Armenia. Furthermore, the government does not take into account that citizens of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh, – note of the ‘Caucasian Knot’), living and working in Armenia, represent economic value for the state, as they pay taxes, duties, and payments to the country’s budget and increase the domestic market by about 120,000 consumers,” the refugee from Nagorno-Karabakh has noted.

Vage Arutyunyan has also added that “the authorities should review the housing programme for refugees, since it is simply impossible to use it under the set conditions” and that “with the allocated money, it is impossible not only to buy an apartment in Yerevan, but also to buy an apartment in other settlements with suitable living conditions.”

Greta Abramyan, a refugee from Nagorno-Karabakh, believes that the extension of the social assistance programme is not a solution to the problem.

“These are just handouts to keep the refugees in suspense and force them to leave in search of a decent life for their children. Will they give us housing in two months? Or will I be able to find a job? While we were receiving the social assistance of ’40,000 + 10,000 drams,’ we felt calm, but if the programme ends, we will have to choose: to move to a distant village and to ruin our child’s life in such a way, or to leave Armenia,” the woman claimed.

During the last Nagorno-Karabakh war, Marat Grigoryan from Nagorno-Karabakh was a conscript soldier in the Defence Army of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR). The man is looking for job. The family lives on their parents’ pensions. The rent for housing was covered by the social assistance of “40,000 + 10,000 drams.” “I hope to find a job within these two months. There are no vacancies in a provincial town. And it is inconvenient for me to travel almost 40 kilometres to Yerevan for work every day,” the young man explained. When asked whether he is going to leave the country, Marat Grigoryan has replied that he cannot leave his elderly parents alone.

Social assistance to refugees should be continued until family is provided with housing

Nver Gukasyan from Stepanakert says that his family consists of two persons. Their monthly income is slightly more than 55,000 drams per person. For this reason, they may not take advantage of the urgent support programme for the families in dire need. Nver Gukasyan emphasizes “the programme does not take into account that Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh, – note of the ‘Caucasian Knot’) natives pay rent for housing, so it is necessary to ensure that the programme is reviewed.”

“The social assistance to refugees should be continued until the family is provided with housing. My family agrees to social housing. The two-month extension of the social assistance programme is a salvation for us, so that we don’t end up on the street. We are purely city people, and even if we move to a village to become peasants, we will need years to learn how to live in the countryside,” explained Gurgen Grigoryan, a refugee from Stepanakert.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 30, 2025 at 11:21 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.