Chechnya: flats are provided to resettlers from Argun-City

Residents of the Chechen Republic are resettled because of the planned large-scale construction. Following the press conference "Chechnya: Construction of Argun-City - Dozens of Families Thrown Out into Street" held by rights defenders on February 3, residents of two blocks received flats; part of the tenants of other hostels were promised housing facilities.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that during the time that elapsed from the start of the announced broad reconstruction more than 100 private houses were demolished in Argun, located near the entrance to the city from Grozny, where new construction will be launched. Some families were resettled to hostels, others were promised to build new housing, and those who wished received monetary compensations and land plots for individual construction.

In the course of the press conference organized by the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", it was reported that for the upcoming erection of Argun-City the authorities ordered to clear up the territory; the houses are demolished, including those recently built for the people who had lost their homes during the war. In was decided to place the tenants of demolished houses into the neighbouring ones; move people from there to hostels in Grozny, and those who live in these hostels - out into the street.

As reported by the HRC "Memorial", the information about what is happening and an appeal of residents to Russian President was handed to Mr Medvedev on February 1.

Soon information appeared in Chechen media that on 7 February 16 families and on 17 February 60 families - the residents of No. 111 in Kadyrov Street and No. 9A in Titov Street in Argun - received their flats. The "Memorial" has confirmed this information.

The flats were bought for the money of the Charitable Foundation named after Ahmad-Hadji Kadyrov in various parts of Grozny, mainly in the Zavodskoy and Staropromyslovskiy Districts, as flats are cheaper there.

As of the start of March, nearly all the inhabitants of the two houses received their flats; the few remaining are waiting for their turn. All the residents say they could not expect that their housing problems would be solved at such short notice. Some of them had been offered to find housing for themselves for a certain sum of money.

Still, there are people dissatisfied with the area of provided flats. In particular, there is a family of seven members, who were provided only a two-room flat. Another family of six, in which the mother suffers from asthma, were also given a flat of two rooms; however, the main problem is that the walls are covered with mould, which is very bad for her health.

Some residents are also unhappy with the state of their new flats: they need major repairs, but the new tenants have no funds for that.

The eviction of residents who have rural registration from the city's hostels was suspended. According to a commandant of one of them, they decided not to worry them until the end of the school year.