Lena Haladjian: Armenia gives thousand times more to Syrians than Canada
There are more than 17,000 Syrian-Armenians in Armenia now, Head of Armenian Communities in Near and Middle East Department of Ministry of Diaspora of Armenia Levon Antonyan said during a press conference.
"The government has adopted warm and hospitable approach towards Syrian-Armenians since the very beginning," Antonyan said.
Representing the achievements and problems of the sector, he informed that during these years 250 Syrian-Armenian children were born in Armenia, 110 Syrian-Armenians died. The state took care of all the expenses.
“More than 1200 Syrian-Armenians have been provided with jobs despite the fact that employment is a target sector. 80 Syrian-Armenian doctors have found jobs with the support of the Ministry of Health. Very often, they don’t adapt to the conditions, they don’t want to work in the regions.”
Levon Antonyan pointed out achievements in documentation, educational processes, made by extraordinary examination emphasizing that services provided to Syrian-Armenians in these fields will be free of charge, covered by the budget of Armenia.
Regarding the process of integration of Syrian-Armenians, Antonyan stated that regular exhibition-sales organized by Syrian-Armenians have become a tradition in this aspect.
“What have other countries done for Syrian-Armenians that their homeland hasn’t? If we compare especially with Canada, where more Syrian-Armenians have gone recently, Armenia has given them thousand times more,” said President of the Centre for Coordination of Syrian-Armenians' Issues NGO Lena Haladjian who was also present at the press conference.
President of newly established Syrian-Armenian Union NGO Nerses Gevo said that their organization is trying to solve Syrian-Armenians’ problems, provide legal, tax and customs consultation related with business, “Those who come to their homeland must obey its laws, not impose their demands.”