Tigran Khoudoyan, mayor of Shatin, a rural community in Armenia’s Vayots Dzor Province, needs no prompting when it comes to extolling the beauty of his home.
“In terms of nature, Shatin is beautiful. We have many scenic sites, and we will intensify the development of tourism. We need the conditions necessary to make this happen,” the mayor tells Hetq.
Shatin is on the banks of the Yeghegis River, a tributary of the Arpa. Most of the residents trace their roots back to the province of Salmast, Iran.
Rich in flora and fauna, an observation post was erected in Shatin in 2008 where visitors can try to spot the Bezoar Goat, classified by the IUCN as “vulnerable”.
Close to Shatin there’s a 10th century monastery that was renovated in the 17th century.
Mayor Khoudoyan says not many leave the community to find better prospects overseas or domestically, and that none would leave if jobs were created.
“I try to invest money to solve economic problems, and not social ones. Despite the large number of social issues, we must strive to resolve the economic ones first,” the mayor stresses.
Shatin and other adjacent settlements aren’t supplied with natural gas. Khoudoyan says the issue has been raised but the national government is dragging its heels. He believes it might be because there aren’t enough consumers to justify such a large investment.
“B...
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