BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 23. President of the
Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has approved amendments to the
laws "On the status of refugees and internally displaced persons"
and "On social protection of internally displaced persons and
persons treated as equal to them".
The text of the document has been published on the official
website of the President of Azerbaijan.
As a result of the amendments to the Housing Code, a new
"Permanent Settlement Fund in the liberated territories" is being
established. The residential areas included in this fund will be
used to resettle internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their
native places and transfer these apartments to their ownership.
According to the amendments to the law "On the status of
refugees and internally displaced persons", the cases of loss of
IDP status have become more specific. Thus, after provision of a
person with another residential area in accordance with the
dimensions established for the region in which he/she lives instead
of his previous place of residence, his property rights will be
considered fully restored.
Individuals who don't accept the housing offered by the state
will also lose their IDP status.
The 3-year grace period provided for in the current legislation
will be calculated from the date the individual loses their IDP
status or refuses the offered housing.
In addition, the mechanism for resettlement of IDPs is being
updated with the amendment to the law "On social protection of IDPs
and persons treated as equal to them". According to the new
approach, the state's obligation will be considered fulfilled by
offering a citizen housing.
