Armenia emigration rate on the rise
By Sabina Idayatova
In the backdrop of a deplorable economic and social situation in Armenia, the number of those leaving the country is on the rise.
The civil aviation body recently reported that 115,221 people left the country through airways -- departing from Zvartnots airport in the capital Yerevan and Shirak airport in Gyumri -- in the first two months of 2013, while the number of those who arrived was 96,192.
In January-February, the number of emigrants increased by 2,455 compared to the same period of last year.
The negative balance in migration was 19,029 people, while the figure was 16,574 people in January-February 2012.
Experts earlier predicted the growth rates of emigration given the outcome of the recent presidential elections.
We recall that seven candidates stood in the election in Armenia held on Feb.18. According to the Central Election Commission, incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan won with 58.64 percent of the votes. Heritage party leader Raffi Hovannisyan ranked second with 36.74 percent.
Indeed, the flawed elections did not satisfy either the candidates or ordinary Armenian people. Even at the start of the election campaign, several candidates went on a hunger strike, deeming the electoral process to be unfounded and unfair.
The supporters of the Heritage party have been holding rallies
in Yerevan and other Armenian cities since Feb. 20.
After the elections Hovannisyan was one of those declaring a hunger
strike, saying that Sargsyan must recognize the people's victory
and resign before his inauguration on April 9.
"If Sargsyan takes an oath with his hand on the Constitution and the Bible and the Catholicos blesses him, they will do it over my dead body," Hovannisyan said at a rally of his supporters on a square in the center of Yerevan on March 10.
Indeed, in the backdrop of tense political developments in Armenia the living standards of the people are becoming unbearable, and without a hope for the future the people are having to leave the country.
Serzh Sargsyan himself during his election campaign expressed concern over the emigration rates, saying that the Armenian population is as small as it can be, and proposed to fulfil the repatriation task in the next few years. But it seems that Sargsyan will not have many people to govern after April 9.