Artsakh president says construction of housing is a major task
YEREVAN, March 25. /ARKA/. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Arayik Harutyunyan chaired today another round of consultations to discuss the current status and the future of a set of joint projects which are being implemented with the government of Artsakh.
In attendance were the heads of the responsible government agencies, the press service of the Armenian government reported. It quoted Pashinyan as saying that one of the key points of the "road map" he published on November 18 is the restoration of normal life in Artsakh.
“At the moment we have quite tangible results, but, of course, the volume of work to be done is very large, and it is important that our political resolve and responsibility are reflected in the implementation of this work in full and in the restoration of not only normal life in Artsakh, but also in the implementation of specific programs for future development,” he said.
Pashinyan added that discussions at different levels did not stop for a single day, resulting in joint decisions.
Harutyunyan expressed gratitude for the social programs implemented by the Armenian government in the post-war period.
“The results are tangible in the sense that most of the population, about 120 thousand citizens of Artsakh today live in Artsakh, and from the point of view of a normal life, we seem to have managed to provide everything necessary,” he said.
According to the President, up to 30 thousand residents of Artsakh are still in Armenia, and "fortunately, very few have left Armenia for other countries."
The Artsakh President noted that the main priority at this stage is housing construction. “From the point of view of social payments, I think the problem will be solved in a few months. The benefits and lump sum payments are temporarily satisfactory,” he said.
Harutyunyan stressed that at least 5 thousand apartments should be built in 2.5-3 years.
“The second important task is the issue of compensation for damage, many of our compatriots have suffered heavy losses, to compensate for which we must also make decisions together,” he said.
On September 27, 2020, Azerbaijani armed forces, backed by Turkey and foreign mercenaries and terrorists, attacked Nagorno-Karabakh along the entire front line using rocket and artillery weapons, heavy armored vehicles, military aircraft and prohibited types of weapons such as cluster bombs and phosphorus weapons.
After 44 days of the war, on November 9, the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a statement on the cessation of all hostilities. According to the document, the parties stopped at where they were at that time. The town of Shushi, the districts of Agdam, Kelbajar and Lachin were handed over to Azerbaijan, with the exception of a 5-kilometer corridor connecting Karabakh with Armenia.
A Russian peacekeeping contingent was deployed along the contact line in Karabakh and along the Lachin corridor. Internally displaced persons and refugees are returning to Karabakh and adjacent regions, prisoners of war, hostages and other detained persons and bodies of the dead are being exchanged.--0-
