The Armenian government has informed representatives of the Council for the Protection of Artsakh Armenians' Rights that the “40+10” assistance program will not be reinstated, CivilNet reports.

The announcement was made during an April 3 meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Khachatryan. After the discussion, council representatives emphasized they would continue their struggle, stating that “40+10 has no alternative.”

The council said the main focus of the meeting was on social issues. According to council member Mariam Abrahamyan, government officials presented a newly developed support plan. “If a household has four members and the per capita income is below 50,000 drams, that family will receive only 70,000 drams in aid. This clearly solves nothing. We stressed again that the 40+10 program has no substitute,” she said.

Another representative, Apres Margaryan, noted that the government suggested forming expert working groups to discuss housing programs. “They said our proposed groups can present recommendations to their experts. If there’s clear evidence of deficiencies, they might revise the program,” Margaryan explained.

Meanwhile, a group of displaced Artsakh Armenians gathered outside the government building, waiting for updates on the meeting. After it concluded, they marched to Freedom Square and declared their intention to continue the protest, promising to present their next steps on April 4.

Changes that took effect on April 1 significantly reduced the housing subsidy for displaced Artsakh Armenians. The previous ‘40+10’ program provided 40,000 drams for rent and 10,000 for utilities per person monthly. On March 29, during a rally at Freedom Square, the Council for the Protection of Artsakh Interests presented a 12-point demand to authorities and international organizations, urging the government not to reduce support and to develop a new housing plan. They gave the government a one-week deadline to respond, while continuing protest actions.