German FM praises Armenia’s effective integration of forcibly displaced population of NK

 15:11, 4 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s delegation was impressed to see how Armenia has been able to take in over 100,000 forcibly displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh in a matter of days, Artashat Mayor Karlen Mkrtchyan has said.

Mkrtchyan was among other officials who accompanied Baerbock during her visit to Vostan, a village within Artashat Municipality in Ararat Province.

Ararat Province has taken in 22,000 of the more than 100,000 forcibly displaced persons. 5,300 of them have been accommodated in Artashat.

After her meetings in Ararat Province, the German FM was heard comparing the accommodation of the displaced persons with the situation in Ukraine, noting that Armenia has been able to integrate the forcibly displaced persons from NK more effectively than Ukraine its IDPs, particularly children. “Even in Ukraine it hasn’t been possible to ensure normal living conditions for persons, especially children [IDPs] and swiftly integrate them to a new environment, whereas in Armenia there’s a better picture in this regard,” the German FM told local officials.

Artashat Mayor Karlen Mkrtchyan told Armenpress that he talked with the German delegation during the trip.

The members of the German delegation were surprised how Armenia has been able to receive over 100,000 forcibly displaced persons in a few days, the Artashat Mayor said.

“Mrs. Baerbock was really surprised that we were able to resolve essential organizational issues in a very short period of time. Everyone, children and adults, have harmoniously integrated into the new conditions and they have no problems of coexistence with the locals. We’ve accepted everyone like family,” Mkrtchyan said when asked to comment on the German FM’s statement.