Elya, a resident of the Syunik village of Khoznavar, says she no longer travels to the regional capital of Goris because the minivan company once serving outlying communities has halted service, arguing that  it was operating in the red due to a lack of passengers.

“A taxi costs 5,000 AMD ($21) to make the trip. With that money I can buy enough grains and sugar to last a week,” says Elya. “Sick people in the village can’t even get to a doctor.”

The situation is so bad that no company has even filed for the five tender bids announced by the Syunik Regional Administration to provide transportation on the Khnatzakh-Vaghatour-Khoznavar route.

Ashot Sahakyan, President of Shahnan Ltd., the company that stopped operating the route, says that it wasn’t only due to a lack of passengers but also because illegal taxis had taken a piece of the shrinking business.

Another tender bid will be announced in October, but no one believes that the problem will be solved.

Finding affordable transportation from Goris to surrounding communities is also a problem.

Meri Minasyan says that she used to be able to travel to the village of Gornidzor on a public minivan for 350 AMD (80cents). The only way to make the trip today is buy taxi and drivers are demanding 3,000 AMD for the ride. So what happens is the six people squeeze into the car, thus paying 500 AMD each.

The same problem faces the villages of Bardzravan, Tegh, Vorotan and Aravous. Most people wishing to travel to Goris, especially those with produce to sell, have to use a car. Those without a car are forced to ask a friend or neighbour that does.

Radik Hayrapetyan, who for many years worked at the Regional Committee Department of Administration in the Soviet era, says that back then all the villages were linked by public transport that ran seven days a week.

“To justify stopping transportation services due to a lack of riders is wrong. Even one passenger is a human being,” Hayrapetyan said.