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ARTSAKH WAR VETS TAKE PROTEST TO GOVERNMENT BUILDING; SOME WANT ACTION
Now, Not Tomorrow - Photos
Sona Avagyan
15:16, June 6, 2013
Artsakh war veterans took their protest for better living conditions
to the Government Building today in Yerevan.
The vets have been staging a round the clock sit-down demo in Freedom
Square since June 4.
Holding aloft the Armenian tri-color and displaying placards reading
"Raise the pensions of vets" and "Cut the utility payments of freedom
fighters by 50%", they shouted their demands in front of a row of
police barring their way inside the building.
On May 13, the veterans had filed a letter with the government,
demanding that a new law on Artsakh War participants be drafted
that would grant them special status and certain allowances and
disbursements.
The government passed the letter on to the Ministry of Defense and
to the Ministry of Finance for review.
At today's protest, Alexander Ghazaryan, who heads the Government's
Reception Department, told reporters that pensions for vets are higher
than other citizens, thus proving that the government pays special
attention to their needs.
Robert Nazaretyan, who fought with the Shushi Special Brigade, told
Hetq that prior to 1998 freedom fighters had their utility bills cut
by 50%. Now they pay the full amount.
Nazaretyan left for the war at the age of eighteen in 1993. He fought
until 1994 and lost a foot and a hand in Martakert in 1995, after
joining the regular army.
He gets by on a monthly income of 79,000 AMD ($195). This is his
pension and disability allowance. He would like to work but can't
find a job.
Gagik Ginosyan, director of the Garin Traditional Dance Ensemble
and himself a war vet, says that he receives no pension and has no
expectation of receiving one. He says that he's in good physical
shape and that he's ready to fight again.
Ginosyan points out that it's the disabled vets getting around on
crutches and the families of the fighters who died on the battle
field that are in particular need of assistance.
"It's not a question of raising the pension by 20-30%. For me, the
real issue is maintaining the dignity of these guys, so that they
can walk with honor, with their heads held high, in their own country.
They have earned such respect," Ginosyan said.
An hour into the protest, one of the demonstrators said that Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan had promised to receive a four man delegation
from the vets either later today or tomorrow.
Some of the veterans saw this as another ploy by the government to
evade the issue.
The dissenters shouted, "There is no tomorrow. Right now."
Volodya Avetisyan, the vet who arranged the meeting with PM Sargsyan,
tried to calm them down saying, "Patience. We can wait another day."
With that, the vets returned to Freedom Square to discuss their
future moves.
Photos by Hakob Poghosyan
http://hetq.am/eng/news/27117/artsakh-war-vets-take-protest-to-government-building;-some-want-action-now-not-tomorrow.html
From: A. Papazian
Now, Not Tomorrow - Photos
Sona Avagyan
15:16, June 6, 2013
Artsakh war veterans took their protest for better living conditions
to the Government Building today in Yerevan.
The vets have been staging a round the clock sit-down demo in Freedom
Square since June 4.
Holding aloft the Armenian tri-color and displaying placards reading
"Raise the pensions of vets" and "Cut the utility payments of freedom
fighters by 50%", they shouted their demands in front of a row of
police barring their way inside the building.
On May 13, the veterans had filed a letter with the government,
demanding that a new law on Artsakh War participants be drafted
that would grant them special status and certain allowances and
disbursements.
The government passed the letter on to the Ministry of Defense and
to the Ministry of Finance for review.
At today's protest, Alexander Ghazaryan, who heads the Government's
Reception Department, told reporters that pensions for vets are higher
than other citizens, thus proving that the government pays special
attention to their needs.
Robert Nazaretyan, who fought with the Shushi Special Brigade, told
Hetq that prior to 1998 freedom fighters had their utility bills cut
by 50%. Now they pay the full amount.
Nazaretyan left for the war at the age of eighteen in 1993. He fought
until 1994 and lost a foot and a hand in Martakert in 1995, after
joining the regular army.
He gets by on a monthly income of 79,000 AMD ($195). This is his
pension and disability allowance. He would like to work but can't
find a job.
Gagik Ginosyan, director of the Garin Traditional Dance Ensemble
and himself a war vet, says that he receives no pension and has no
expectation of receiving one. He says that he's in good physical
shape and that he's ready to fight again.
Ginosyan points out that it's the disabled vets getting around on
crutches and the families of the fighters who died on the battle
field that are in particular need of assistance.
"It's not a question of raising the pension by 20-30%. For me, the
real issue is maintaining the dignity of these guys, so that they
can walk with honor, with their heads held high, in their own country.
They have earned such respect," Ginosyan said.
An hour into the protest, one of the demonstrators said that Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan had promised to receive a four man delegation
from the vets either later today or tomorrow.
Some of the veterans saw this as another ploy by the government to
evade the issue.
The dissenters shouted, "There is no tomorrow. Right now."
Volodya Avetisyan, the vet who arranged the meeting with PM Sargsyan,
tried to calm them down saying, "Patience. We can wait another day."
With that, the vets returned to Freedom Square to discuss their
future moves.
Photos by Hakob Poghosyan
http://hetq.am/eng/news/27117/artsakh-war-vets-take-protest-to-government-building;-some-want-action-now-not-tomorrow.html
From: A. Papazian