There were many people gathered near the government building with different demands once again.
Members of the former Shahumyan collective farm of Ajapnyak district say that 150 hectares of land were stolen from them and have been sold to some organization for a year now. According to Arman Torosyan, when collective farms were disbanded in 1991, the government signed leasing contracts with nearly 400 families. The families mainly cultivate grapes and apricots on this territory.
In the past five years, according to the demonstrators, the government has not signed any contract, but they have "all paid the taxes fixed by the government."
Their lands were sold for purposes of construction. Arpik Poghosyan recalls that when Gagik Beglaryan was not mayor, he had said that the issue would be solved if he were elected. "But he forgot about that after his election," said Poghosyan.
"They are taking away our land, which is our source of income and we don't know how we are going to live," they said.
On one side of the government building were the residents of the sale zone. They were demanding an adequate compensation for their homes.
