Demonstration near presidential residence
Today former residents of the Artsvashen village, which was seized by Azerbaijan, were demanding that the president carry out the promised state program for solving their housing issues.
Their living conditions in the Drakhtik village of Gegharkunik region are far from being good. "We live in wooden houses and they are on the verge of collapse," resident Arshak Simonyan told "A1+".
The people who were deported from Artsvashen in 1992 didn't receive their homes from the government, but purchased them for high prices. "The government helps refugees and residents of the disaster zone, but we don't belong in any category," said activist Ruzanna Mkhitaryan.
The demonstrators demanded a meeting with Serzh Sargsyan or his chief of staff.
They were informed that the Minister of Urban Development would answer all their questions. However, the participants of the action didn't agree. "We don't want to be tricked again. We are preparing to appeal to the European Court and are refusing to exercise our right to vote because it turns out that we are simply ballots in this country. We want to live like normal people," said Yelena Keshishyan.
