Citizens forcibly displaced from Artsakh will need to obtain bank  cards to receive assistance - aid programs discussed at Government

ArmInfo.A consultation was held in the Government chaired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, during 

which the humanitarian aid programs and further steps for our compatriots forcibly displaced from Nagorno Karabakh were discussed.

As the press service of the RA Government reports, summarizing the 

discussions, the Prime Minister noted. "Dear colleagues, we discussed 

the process of providing humanitarian support to our sisters and 

brothers who were forcibly displaced from Nagorno Karabakh, the work 

done and what to do next. First of all, I would like to thank the 

"Humanitarian Center", which worked under the coordination of Deputy 

Prime Minister Tigran Khachatryan, all the Cabinet members, 

departments, non-governmental organizations, local self-government 

bodies, regional administrations, volunteers, for organizing the 

reception and urgent accommodation of our compatriots who were 

forcibly displaced from Nagorno Karabakh at the appropriate level.

Of course, it is understandable that not everything was perfect in 

those crisis conditions, naturally, there will be some drawbacks, but 

in general, I think both the public reaction, our observations, and 

the fact that, in fact, we don't have an extreme crisis situation 

anywhere, it was the most important support, a crisis situation in 

humanitarian terms, apart from what is already a crisis in itself, we 

don't have a more aggravated situation than that."

Referring to the medium-term tasks, Nikol Pashinyan noted that the 

most important decision among them is to provide monetary support for 

the basic needs of our forcibly displaced brothers and sisters. "You 

know that a decision was made and it was announced that each forcibly 

displaced person from Nagorno-Karabakh, this refers to both children 

and adults, will be given a one-time monetary support of 100,000 AMD 

per person. We have a task to bring that support to our brothers and 

sisters as quickly as possible. We also need their support in this 

matter, and I want to ask that our forcibly displaced brothers and 

sisters, those who do not have bank or card accounts, should approach 

the nearest, most convenient bank and open a card account there in 

order to receive a bank card later", said the Prime Minister, adding 

that, of course, getting a bank card may take some time, but the 

accounts will be opened quickly, and the Government will transfer 100 

thousand AMD to those accounts at once, and people will already have 

access to them using their passports.

And for those who have bank cards, the Government will transfer the 

money to the accounts and cards in the coming week. "Of course we 

know that there are a large number of people who do not have 

documents. In such cases, it is necessary to obtain a relevant 

reference from the Unified Social Service, and through this reference 

it will be possible to have a bank account, card account, or in some 

other way the money will be available to our forcibly displaced 

sisters, brothers and children. In the case of children, of course, 

their data will be attached to their mothers' names and the mothers 

will receive the children's money in their accounts as well.  The 

next decision we made is about accommodation, housing support. We 

have decided that each forcibly displaced person will be given 40,000 

AMD as compensation for housing expenses, plus 10,000 AMD for utility 

expenses. It is very important that our forcibly displaced brothers 

and sisters approach the bank and open accounts as soon as possible 

to be able to make use of this program, so that we can transfer the 

money as soon as possible.

But even before the transfer of money, we can actually record that, 

for example, in the case of a family of 5, in October they will 

receive 750,000 AMD of support from the state, the government. Also, 

I think that with this money they can also carry out certain actions. 

In particular, those who are in temporary accommodation should start 

looking for rental apartments or residential premises. Of course, the 

local self-government bodies, regional administrations are also 

instructed to support them in this matter. It is very important that 

our many volunteers can make it so that potential tenants and 

providers of residential premises for rent meet each other and reach 

agreements," said the Prime Minister.

Nikol Pashinyan also highlighted the solution to the problem of 

ensuring the employment of our brothers and sisters forcibly 

displaced from Nagorno Karabakh. "We are also taking measures so 

that, for example, specialists in the field of general education are 

involved, employed in the field of general education, in schools, 

workers in the health sector are employed in the field of health 

care. It is also very important that ministries actively disseminate 

information about vacancies.

Of course, there are certain hiring procedures, tenders, etc., these 

procedures will not be nullified, but on the other hand, we will 

simplify as much as possible so that existing educators have the 

opportunity to get hired with simplified procedures, it also applies 

to healthcare professionals, and other fields as well. Appropriate 

instructions have been given in this regard," said the Prime 

Minister.

At today's meeting, the issue of involving our compatriots in the 

vacant positions in the contractor companies engaged in the 

implementation of state capital investments was also touched upon. 

"We will establish contact and collect information about their demand 

for vacancies, and we will also distribute this information during 

the broadcasts of the humanitarian center. This is an important 

moment, because if, for example, a citizen forcibly displaced from 

Nagorno Karabakh sees, let's say, there is a vacancy for a teacher in 

a settlement of Shirak region, and he can be employed in that place, 

this information should be delivered to him as soon as possible, 

because he has already to plan to rent a residential area or 

apartment in that settlement, etc.

We have to do everything to help people to spend those 750 thousand, 

or 1.5 million AMD in the case of a family of 10, effectively, 

because the problem is not only having money, it is also a problem to 

spend that money effectively. In particular, if a person is to be 

settled in X village of Shirak Province and is currently located, for 

example, in a settlement of Kotayk Province, he should also plan when 

spending this money. That's why, I think, the humanitarian center, 

its public communication should work very actively in these matters, 

so that we can support people in this matter as much as possible.

Not to mention that other issues arise there, the issue of the 

child's school, in that case it would be more reasonable to 

immediately take the child to the school of the settlement where they 

should live for at least the next 6 months, so that the children are 

not subjected to double stress. Of course, the problem of students 

should be solved in the same way, so that they are integrated into 

our university system, that is, their education process is not 

interrupted. Also, we must take measures to provide as much support 

as possible in the education process, to promote high progress," said 

Nikol Pashinyan.

The next important problem, according to the Prime Minister, concerns 

the large number of pensioners forcibly displaced from Nagorno 

Karabakh. "The good news is that most of them have bank cards and we 

will not have much difficulty in accessing them while supporting 

them. Financially, our approach is that they continue to receive 

their pensions in the Republic of Armenia.  Here, however, we have a 

purely legal issue, linked with their forcibly displaced and refugee 

status. Our approach is that we will transfer the money and solve the 

issue of these money as soon as possible. If by then we have final 

solutions to legal issues, it is very good, if we do not have final 

solutions, we will ensure the minimum social needs of people, we will 

solve legal problems at the same time, without depriving our 

compatriots of access to any support.

Summing up, let me say that the most important issue today is the 

following. Our compatriots forcibly displaced from Nagorno- Karabakh 

should open bank accounts in the nearest banks. The Central Bank has 

already discussed with the banks that these accounts should be opened 

free of charge and as soon as possible. Of course, we also have to 

monitor the situation, if we see queues forming anywhere, we should 

also direct our volunteers to manage the queues and help people to 

have the opportunity to carry out these activities in a better 

environment and the normal work of the banks should not be disrupted 

in any way", concluded Nikol Pashinyan.