Armenian Government Cuts Housing Aid for Artsakh Refugees

The Armenian government is facing heavy criticism after sharply reducing monthly housing assistance for thousands of refugees from Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Many of these displaced families had depended on the financial support to survive after being forced to flee their homes following Azerbaijan’s full occupation of the Republic in September 2023.

Until now, the Armenian state provided 50,000 drams (about $125) each month to help refugees pay rent and utilities—if they had no permanent home or were not living in government shelters. This support helped the majority of the approximately 105,000 ethnic Armenians who escaped their homes after the Azeri occupation of Artsakh.

But that aid is now being scaled back. In a decision made last November, the government announced the end of most housing support starting April 1. Only specific groups will continue to receive financial help—children, students, pensioners, and disabled persons who were displaced. Even for them, the amount is being reduced: 40,000 drams in April, and only 30,000 drams ($76) starting in July.

The change has sparked outrage. On March 29, thousands of refugees gathered in Yerevan to protest the government’s decision. They not only demanded the full restoration of housing aid, but also presented a list of other political demands. After a failed meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Khachatryan, protest leaders have vowed to resume demonstrations later this month.

Speaking on national television on Monday, Khachatryan defended the government's decision but said talks with refugee representatives are ongoing. However, he gave no signal that the aid would be restored to previous levels.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in November that the goal of cutting the aid was to encourage working-age refugees to become self-sufficient. He said the time had come for them to begin “supporting their families through their own work.”

Khachatryan, however, offered a different explanation. He claimed that the government’s monthly housing payments were making refugees less interested in a long-term housing program launched in 2024. That program, part of a five-year plan, offers between 2 million and 5 million drams ($5,000 to $13,000) to each refugee to buy or build homes, mainly in rural parts of Armenia.

So far, the program has not gained much traction. Refugees say the financial help is simply not enough. The cost of land, construction, and materials makes it almost impossible to build even a small house. Of the 105,000 displaced people, only 900 families have applied for this housing aid, and just 100 have been able to secure new homes through it.

Finding permanent housing continues to be one of the most serious problems for Artsakh refugees. Many are struggling in temporary apartments in and around Yerevan, where most job opportunities exist. But even those lucky enough to find work say their income is barely enough to cover rent and daily needs.

According to official data, as of March 1, 2025, only 26,400 of the refugees had jobs or were running small businesses. More than half of them earned no more than 120,000 drams per month ($306), based on figures from Armenia’s State Revenue Committee. That leaves little money for food, medicine, or school expenses.

Some refugees have already given up on staying in Armenia. New data from the National Security Service of Armenia shows that out of the 120,000 displaced people who arrived after September 19, 2023, around 26,899 had left Armenia by March 1, 2025. Of those, only 15,642 have returned. That means over 11,000 people have left Armenia and not come back.

The government insists that it is still seeking solutions. But for thousands of displaced families living in uncertainty, these promises sound empty. For them, the government's aid cut feels like abandonment at a time when they are most vulnerable.

As protests continue, Armenia’s leadership faces growing pressure to find a better balance between encouraging independence and providing urgent support to those who lost everything in the aftermath of war.