Residents of Kozern in Yerevan demand equivalent reimbursement for housing

A group of residents of a Yerevan district known as Kozern had gathered outside the Government Building this morning, demanding equivalent reimbursement for their houses.

The government recognized Kozern district as "public area" in 2004 and therefore the district is at the disposal of the state.

"Today, we are making an offer to the government by which we demand adequate reimbursement for our flats. We demand to be given flats in the same districts; we don't want any money," Samvel Mkrtchyan, a human rights activist and resident of the same district, told Tert.am.

Mkrtchyan also said that other offers are simply unacceptable for them.

"We won't agree, even if the Government Building on the Republic Square is offered to us. We want to live in our district," he added.

Holding posts that read "We Demand Equivalent Reimbursement," "Kozern is Unified," "We are the Master of Our Rights" the protesters said they are not selling their houses and therefore couldn't understand why they are offered money.

Some would even say that they will not agree if offered an amount several times higher than the actual market price of their flats.

"We want to live in the same district; we have customs, memories related to it," they said, at the same time expressing hope that the government will do everything so that no one remains homeless.

They also said that they will be unified and will struggle to the end, adding that if need be, they will devise the first model with which they will teach how areas should be recognized public in Yerevan.

The protesters caught the attention of the newly-appointed Yerevan Mayor Karen Karapetyan who came up and asked what the matter was. After hearing some of their accounts, Karapetyan, however, didn't give any definite answer.

"I will tell you as soon as I understand what the matter is," he said.