Refugees tell about post-war life in Nagorno-Karabakh

New houses are being built for those who lost their homes during the war in Nagorno-Karabakh; they also receive payments, the authorities have reported. The refugees housed in a nursing home for the elderly complain about absence of employment and money as their major problems.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that by March 5, 2021, the number of local residents who returned to Nagorno-Karabakh exceeded 52,000. By January 27, out of more than 34,000 people who had lost their homes during the last autumn war, temporary shelter was found for about 8000.

To support the forced migrants, the Armenian authorities are implementing several programmes, the Ministry of Social Security, Labour and Migration of Karabakh has reported. In particular, more than 100,000 citizens received one-time payments; there is also a programme for 34,000 people who had lost their property in the territories occupied by Azerbaijan.

According to the Karabakh's Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, all boarding houses and hotels in Stepanakert are overcrowded; therefore, new refugees are forced to look for housing by themselves.

In the first Karabakh war, Ervand Avakyan, a pensioner from the village of Tagavar, Martuni District, lost his elder son; and in the second war, he lost his younger son. According to his story, if he cannot return to his house, which he built himself, he will stay in the boarding house for elderly persons.