VIP Forums Muzblog Chat Games Gallery. Форум, муздневники, чат, игры, галлерея.

Emigration is the single-most detrimental threat to the Armenian nation today, even moreso than governmental corruption. The National Statistics Service insists that the population of Armenia is still 3.2 million, a figure it has maintained since 2001. Meanwhile, behinds closed doors rumors are heard that there are barely 2 million people actually living in the [...]
Emigration is the single-most detrimental threat to the Armenian nation today, even moreso than governmental corruption. The National Statistics Service insists that the population of Armenia is still 3.2 million, a figure it has maintained since 2001. Meanwhile, behinds closed doors rumors are heard that there are barely 2 million people actually living in the country today. A new census is slated to be taken this year.
Emigration is increasing for the following reasons.

Lack of jobs and persistent mass poverty. The government needs to attract more investment in the IT sector. The overtures to give tax breaks to companies are still not aggressive enough. The IT sector needs to increase four-fold. Technology centers need to be established across the country, from Kapan to Alaverdi, and new talent must be continually. In the meantime, as part of a mass rural development plan entire villages are being uprooted and transplanted to remote regions of Russia, where people are offered free housing and employment.

According to the National Statistics Service in 2010 1.2 million people living in Armenia lived on less than $90 a month, up from 930,000 in 2008 (that figure incidentally is unrealistic given the higher costs of living and soaring prices for footstuffs — $200 is more realistic, but still low for a family of four). That means the level of poverty has paradoxically been increasing, despite the tens of millions being pumped into the country in foreign aid packages, loans and remittances.

Problems related to sustaining small business. Rents are going up, and smaller businesses find it hard to compete, especially with the chain supermarkets that are branching out across the city. Higher rent and prices for imported goods means less profit when customer loyalty dwindles. The lower middle class — the core of Armenian society — has less and less to spend.

Bad attitudes and pervasive apathy. I still hear lame statements like “The country’s not a country” and “Is Armenia even a country for you to come here?” A defeatest dissatisfaction with everything and blind indifference to the state of affairs are suppressing the vital strengthing of society. The only segment of the population that has the genuine right to express a feeling of hopelessness is the poor/very poor of society. Many of these people have no choice but to leave for Russia or elsewhere to find work.

Leaving is fashionable. The youth dream of leaving the country and moving to more exotic places like the US, Canada and Europe. Even if someone has a hard time making a go of things where they end up, emotionally, financially or whatever, the stigma that it is “shameful” to go back inhibits their desire to return. So you have one group that is ecstatic about living elsewhere in the world — anywhere but Armenia — and another that regrets leaving in the first place but won’t return to the homeland.

The majority of Armenian citizens have a lot to be thankful for. Although they may be blind to it, they presently have a relatively stable government and economy. The government insists that the economy will grow by 4.2% this year and that it will meet its target in collecting about $2.3 billion in tax revenues. Armenia is considered by the Heritage Foundation to have a “moderately free” economy — ranked 39th in the world ahead of Norway, France, Turkey and Azerbaijan — and is now implementing a revised, amicable registration process for doing business. It benefits from the support of the European community, the Americas, China, Japan and of course its big brother, Russia. Petty crime is not common in many parts of the capital and arguably less so in the regions. There is little to fear by walking the streets of the city center late at night, and that’s something that certainly can’t be said of very many cities in the world. And despite the beating of war drums by its oil-happy neighbor to the east, there isn’t a clear sign of a possible resumption in hostilities. No one in the international community, Armenia or Artsakh seems to take the rhetoric seriously. Moreover, Armenians have had the priviledge of living in a democracy for twenty years, enjoying the freedoms of casting a ballot, thought, expression, and enterprise, all of which are taken for granted.

Emigration has long ago become a national security risk for Armenia, fueled by boundless cynicism and apathy towards nation building. If it continues unchecked, the emigration problem will instigate a severe, harrowing depopulation of the only parcel of land the Armenian nation can legally call its own. And ultimately, that will mean others will move in to take their place. The exodus from Armenia needs to be curbed and that would entail more than just evasive action taken by the Armenian government. It will need the support and encouragement of the Armenian diaspora to ensure Armenia becomes a country where anyone returning there would never dream of leaving again. That has to start happening now.

Photo credit: David Knudsen


More...