Yerevan/Mediamax/. Head of State Service of Migration (SSM) of Armenia Gagik Yeghanyan described today the information of certain media, according to which about 70 thousand citizens leave the country every year, as unauthentic.

Mediamax reports that speaking at a news conference in Yerevan today, Gagik Yeghanyan said that in 2008, the negative balance of migration made 23 059 citizens, in 2009 – 24 978, and in 2010 – 29 860.

“In these conditions, it is impossible to speak of mass emigration”, SSM Head said.

Gagik Yesanyan also noted the negative role of the media in “advertising” “Relocation of Compatriots” program, realized by the Russian government. According to him, in legal terms, the authorities of Armenia cannot oppose implementation of the given program.

“In 4 years, 26 thousand citizens of Armenia turned to the Embassy of Russia in Armenia within the framework of this program, and only 2.919 of them expressed wish to participate in the project and filled in the documents, and the status of a migrant was granted to 822 citizens. As a result, 622 families, or 1508 people, moved to Russia”, Gagik Yeghanyan said. 

He urged the media to get familiar with the conditions of the program at www.fmsArmenia.ru website and present the public with balanced and reliable information in order not to “cause interest of the citizens to the program and avoid lines in the Embassy”.