Residents of Shirak Region of Armenia unblock road

Village farmers of the Shirak Region of Armenia have stopped their protest action demanding to provide them with water for irrigation. The crops are already dead, residents of the villages of Azatan and Beniamin have complained.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 29, villagers of the Shirak Region blocked motor traffic on the Gyumri-Yerevan highway demanding from authorities to solve their irrigation problems.

A resident of the village of Azatan said that a week ago the villagers "should have received water," but there is still no water. "Now, it's too late to do anything – the crops have dried up; and there will be no harvest. Nobody knows how to payback the loans," he said. According to his story, his family had borrowed 10 million drams (over USD 20,000).

"Villagers have already lost their crops; now, they need compensations, otherwise they will fail to payback their loans. They think about how they will survive in winter, and how they will payback the loans," said Vardan Ikilikyan, the community head.

Among the villagers there are farmers who have invested from 500 to 600 thousand euros into these lands; they bought seeds from Europe and hired workers, the head of the village has added.

Albert Ovannisyan from the village of Beniamin said that the governor had advised to use water in turn, so that it is enough for everyone.