‘There’s nothing here but deception and robbery’ – Ashotsk faces multitude of unresolved problems

The Ashotsk district in Shirak Province faces a vast number of issues: each year, more villages are abandoned and schools shut down. Locals note that in recent years, young people increasingly prefer living in cities rather than in rural areas.

“The situation is terrible. There’s nothing here but deception and robbery,” said an elderly resident of Ashotsk, frustrated.

Another community member highlighted the main problems villagers face: “Housing is our biggest issue. The floors in our homes have collapsed, and although people try to repair them, it is impossible to live in such conditions—winters are extremely cold. We can manage to move around on the ruined roads, but first and foremost, the housing problem must be solved.”