Saturday, 5 July 2014
Border Communities Kept In Focus
Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan traveled to Tavush Marz and visited Vazashen, Movses and Verin Karmirakhpyur border communities.
The Head of Government first got acquainted with the progress in the construction of Vazashen-Paravakar alternative road, which is located in the frontline zone. The Premier was told that the construction will take a little bit longer to complete due to bad weather conditions, including rainfall, as well as because of periodic violations of ceasefire on the part of Azerbaijan. Hovik Abrahamyan ordered that the road section should be fully commissioned before the end of August.
90 percent of excavation work is complete at this point of time. A 5-10 meter-high wall is being built over a length of about 250 meters, which will not allow the road to be seen by the enemy snipers. The 3.2 km long alternative road is being built for security reasons, as the applicable one is currently within the range of enemy fire.
The Premier’s next port of call was Movses community, where he visited the local church of St Mariam Astvatsatsin and talked to the local residents in order to get familiar with their problems.
Addressing the inhabitants of Movses, the Prime Minister said: “We believe you to be border guards and attach great importance to your presence in this community. I assure you that we will stand by you in every issue. I am asking you not to give up hope: you know that the enemy is doing everything to make people leave our frontier villages: this is their primary objective. We must do everything to help you survive. I always call the border villages as border guards. Of course, our army will provide for your safety, but it depends on you so much that you can survive. We are facing numerous internal and external problems, but we will try to counteract them, and it is very important for our people to keep up their fighting morale, their devotion to the country - their native land.”
Hovik Abrahamyan said priority will be given to border villages and his government will try to support the residents with numerous programs.
In an informal conversation, several concerns were voiced, including the lack of combines, irrigation water, gas supply annual service fees, tuition fees and kindergarten supplies.
Hovik Abrahamyan first informed that the Government has already allocated 15 million drams to procure new combine for Movses community. Referring to the gas service fee, the Prime Minister promised to provide the amount and address the issue of kindergarten supplies.
The Head of Government promised that the Government will henceforth settle the tuition fees for students with high academic performance from border communities.
The Premier told those responsible to discuss the possibility of building an irrigation pipeline in Movses and submit a cost estimate to that effect.
The Government will soon consider giving priority to border community residents in reimbursing the former SU Savings Bank deposits.
The Prime Minister left Movses for Verin Karmirakhpyur, where he met with the local residents. Hovik Abrahamyan advised that the community will soon get a new combine. The residents asked for privileges, in response to which the Prime Minister instructed the heads of relevant departments to discuss the possibility of including Verin Karmirakhpyur in the list of border areas.
Summing up the visit, the Premier told reporters, “Work is underway in border areas; for example, 4 projects are being implemented in Verin Karmirakhpyur. At the same time, we should pay periodical visits to border villages. People are brave over here, because they live under fire. Today more than ever it is important for us to stand by them. Various projects need to be implemented both in Movses and Verin Karmirakhpyur. A consultation is to be held on the deadlines so that everything is complete as promised. We need to implement programs conducive to jobs for young people so that they would not leave their homes. The deserting of border villages is unacceptable to me. Should the number of students decline, we would allocate additional funds to prevent schools from closing down. The government must pay serious attention to all border villages.”
At the same time, Hovik Abrahamyan said that the Government is prepared to assist people in border areas with the repair of housing damaged by enemy fire.
