Syrian Armenian businessman decided to leave
Syrian Armenian Araks Stepanyan moved to Armenia from Aleppo in August, 2012 together with her husband Rober Mussalli and two sons. The war had just broken out in Syria, “We must have toured here for a month, but as there was such a situation, we decided to stay here for a year. But that one year became four years,” Mrs. Araks told “A1+”. She still keeps in touch with the friends, who left Aleppo. She says that most of them were displeased with Armenian lifestyle. “Eighty out of hundred Syrian Armenians didn’t succeed, left for other countries.” How did they start their life in the homeland? “First year we lived on the money brought from Aleppo. Then we started looking for a job. My husband opened “Mr Barbecue” bistro together with his two colleagues. And I help in the kitchen.” In Aleppo, the four-member family of Mrs. Araks lived on the income got from the own store of electronics. Now by comparing the life in Aleppo and here she says, “There is nothing to compare, we were very pleased there, here we don’t have any benefit. If there is any benefit, people won’t think about migrating. Here is safe like in Aleppo, but if there is no income, why must we stay, we must migrate. It is very hard. We came here, but we didn’t succeed, and so we must leave for other place,” she highlighted. Mrs. Araks also mentioned the payments for the business, “Taxes, fees are very hard. Law doesn’t operate. In Syria, if someone starts a business, he doesn’t pay taxes for the first two years.” She and her husband decided that when the situation calms down in Syria, they will return.
