By Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
The problem of the northern and north-western districts destroyed in the earthquake of 1988 is one of the problems, along with socio-economic issues, unemployment, poverty, migration and etc., that does not lose topicality. In the last 26 years, Spitak has almost been fully rebuilt, new quarters appeared in Gyumri and Vanadzor but the high-scale program for restoration of villages and cities has not been concluded. The “disaster zone” term remains.
According to different evaluations, about 8,000 families, 4,000-4,500 of which are families from Armenia’s second largest city Gyumri, are in need of shelter. Levon Barsegyan, the head of the Asparez Journalist Club in Gyumri, a member of the Gyumri Council of Elders, explained that the government did not recognize about half of them as homeless. 18,000 apartments have been built so far to replace the 22,000 destroyed by the earthquake. Some observers say that settling the Gyumri problem will need about $100 million. Considering the budget expenditures on service cars for high-ranking officials, $100 million seems like a real and justified price.
Construction of elite buildings at the Yerevan center has been the construction priority of the last 10 years. This recalls the story when the government purchased bio toilets worth $300,000 in 2012!
The ruling Republican Party of Armenia gave generous promises during campaigning but the government pays little attention to resolving the problems of the disaster zone. Moreover, in 2004, President Robert Kocharyan said that the zone had been restored and the problem no longer existed.
“The government always uses the construction of the Mush-2 quarter in Gyumri as a point in the pre-electoral program. They promise to build [it] every time, and, after the elections, they completely forget about it,” says Levon Barsegyan.
An example of such attitude towards the disaster zone is the failure to keep the promise of building multi-storey houses in the Mush-2 quarter in Gyumri this year. Despite assurances of the administration that 420 homeless families will get housing, the only things done are construction pits dug out for the buildings. Prime Minister Ovik Abramyan was given a negative emotional reception at the Mush-2 quarter in Gyumri: some people met him with whistles and shouts of protest. The prime minister tried to calm the population down by promising to solve the construction problem in the quarter.
3,700 residential trailers remain in Gyumri. Moreover, the Gyumri districts where they are stationed have turned into separate communities dominated by poverty. Some experts say that social polarization between these settlements and other city quarters is exacerbating: the settlements are isolated, they have more negative aspects: “The city has dozens of houses in disrepair, fully disconnected from communal conveniences and sanitary conditions, old dormitories of the fabric where hundreds of people have found refuge. The people feel psychological pressure every day. 4,500 families live in poverty,” says Vagan Tumasyan, the head of the Shirak Kentroy public organization.
Decision N432 of the government caused bewilderment among residents and public organizations. According to the document, citizens in need of shelter will no longer be listed, starting on December 1, 2008. Experts believe that citizens who went abroad right after the earthquake and who are now returning or planning to return will be left without homes.
It should also be taken into account that all flaws in restoration of the disaster zone have their setbacks in the social sector. According to the National Statistical Service’s data of 2013, the poverty level in 2012 was 32.4%. The highest level was registered in the Shirak Region, Gyumri being its capital. The highest migration and unemployment rate are in the areas hit by the disaster, the Shirak and the Lori regions.
People still live in trailers, dominated by povertyBy Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for Vestnik KavkazaThe problem of the northern and north-western districts destroyed in the earthquake of 1988 is one of the problems, along with socio-economic issues, unemployment, poverty, migration and etc., that does not lose topicality. In the last 26 years, Spitak has almost been fully rebuilt, new quarters appeared in Gyumri and Vanadzor but the high-scale program for restoration of villages and cities has not been concluded. The “disaster zone” term remains.According to different evaluations, about 8,000 families, 4,000-4,500 of which are families from Armenia’s second largest city Gyumri, are in need of shelter. Levon Barsegyan, the head of the Asparez Journalist Club in Gyumri, a member of the Gyumri Council of Elders, explained that the government did not recognize about half of them as homeless. 18,000 apartments have been built so far to replace the 22,000 destroyed by the earthquake. Some observers say that settling the Gyumri problem will need about $100 million. Considering the budget expenditures on service cars for high-ranking officials, $100 million seems like a real and justified price.Construction of elite buildings at the Yerevan center has been the construction priority of the last 10 years. This recalls the story when the government purchased bio toilets worth $300,000 in 2012!The ruling Republican Party of Armenia gave generous promises during campaigning but the government pays little attention to resolving the problems of the disaster zone. Moreover, in 2004, President Robert Kocharyan said that the zone had been restored and the problem no longer existed.“The government always uses the construction of the Mush-2 quarter in Gyumri as a point in the pre-electoral program. They promise to build [it] every time, and, after the elections, they completely forget about it,” says Levon Barsegyan.An example of such attitude towards the disaster zone is the failure to keep the promise of building multi-storey houses in the Mush-2 quarter in Gyumri this year. Despite assurances of the administration that 420 homeless families will get housing, the only things done are construction pits dug out for the buildings. Prime Minister Ovik Abramyan was given a negative emotional reception at the Mush-2 quarter in Gyumri: some people met him with whistles and shouts of protest. The prime minister tried to calm the population down by promising to solve the construction problem in the quarter.3,700 residential trailers remain in Gyumri. Moreover, the Gyumri districts where they are stationed have turned into separate communities dominated by poverty. Some experts say that social polarization between these settlements and other city quarters is exacerbating: the settlements are isolated, they have more negative aspects: “The city has dozens of houses in disrepair, fully disconnected from communal conveniences and sanitary conditions, old dormitories of the fabric where hundreds of people have found refuge. The people feel psychological pressure every day. 4,500 families live in poverty,” says Vagan Tumasyan, the head of the Shirak Kentroy public organization.Decision N432 of the government caused bewilderment among residents and public organizations. According to the document, citizens in need of shelter will no longer be listed, starting on December 1, 2008. Experts believe that citizens who went abroad right after the earthquake and who are now returning or planning to return will be left without homes.It should also be taken into account that all flaws in restoration of the disaster zone have their setbacks in the social sector. According to the National Statistical Service’s data of 2013, the poverty level in 2012 was 32.4%. The highest level was registered in the Shirak Region, Gyumri being its capital. The highest migration and unemployment rate are in the areas hit by the disaster, the Shirak and the Lori regi
