On November 9, Head of the Department for Armenian Communities of the Near East and Middle East at the RA Ministry of Diaspora Levon Antonyan participated in a discussion entitled “Internal and External Challenges Facing Syrian-Armenians” at Ani Hotel. The discussion was organized by the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party (SDHP) Armenia Chapter and the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (Ramgavar) (ADLP) and attended by Chairman of SDHP Armenia Narek Galstyan, Vice-Chairman Vazgen Mesropyan, Chairman of the ADLP Hagop Avetikian, as well as field experts and Syrian-Armenians.

Head of the Department for Armenian Communities of the Near East and Middle East Levon Antonyan presented the Syrian-Armenians’ problems with documents, social, educational and health-related issues, legislation, housing and employment and the activities that the Government of the Republic of Armenia, namely the RA Ministry of Diaspora has carried out to solve those issues over the past years, emphasizing that those activities are ongoing. He stated that, upon the assignment of the RA President, the RA Ministry of Diaspora is in charge of coordinating the problems of Syrian-Armenians and their support programs in Armenia. In 2013, upon the decision of the RA Prime Minister, an Inter-Agency Commission on Coordination of Syrian-Armenians’ Issues was established and includes representatives of state bodies, government agencies, as well as international and non-governmental organizations dealing with Syrian-Armenians’ issues. As a result of the Commission’s activities, amendments have been made to two laws of the Republic of Armenia, several decisions of the Government, other legal acts, and relevant solutions have been given to almost all issues.

Touching upon the view that most Syrian-Armenians are inclined to leave the Republic of Armenia and that there is a large flow of Syrian-Armenians moving to Canada and the Scandinavian countries, Levon Antonyan stated the following: “The Syrian-Armenians who moved to Canada and other countries faced more difficulties than the Syrian-Armenians who stayed in Armenia because, at the end of the day, this is their Homeland, and they benefit from the rights of citizens of the Republic of Armenia. A refugee needs to undergo certain stages in Europe and Canada in order to be integrated into the given society. After all, no Syrian-Armenian lives under a tent in Armenia.”

Levon Antonyan also addressed the financial, humanitarian and material assistance that is provided to Syrian-Armenians and the mechanisms for distributing that assistance.

Chairman of SDHP Armenia Narek Galstyan, Vice-Chairman Vazgen Mesropyan, Chairman of the ADLP Hagop Avetikian and others spoke about the Syrian-Armenian community, as well as the internal and external challenges facing the Syrian-Armenians.