We present to your attention the last part of the story about interesting thoughts and cases voiced by the residents of Gyumri during the monitoring and implementation of the social surveys of the “Participatory Monitoring for Quality Public Utilities in Gyumri” project.

Let us remind you that the initiative was made possible by the funding of the USAID and the “Protect Society for Responsible Governance” project implemented by the “Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center” NGO.

“They Believe, They Don’t Believe”

An 80-year-old grandmother lived in one of the buildings, who with great love and enthusiasm agreed to participate in the survey. While answering the questions, she told about her children and their house. A man was standing near another building, who did not let me enter the building, not believing that I was the surveyor.

“The fish stinks from the head”

After talking about the actual problem, the residents participating in the survey always generalized the causes of the existing problems, even accusing the RA government and president for sending their sons to foreign shores and leaving them alone.

“The playground and the trash cans”

Residents are asking that the trash cans installed near the sports school on Yerevan Highway be removed from that area, as there is a playground nearby, and the trash cans cause a stench in the area and there are many stray dogs.

And in the end…

During the entire survey, complaints related to garbage collection and lighting predominated. Most of these complaints were directed at the pollution of the city. Some complained about the condition of the trash cans, others about the process of garbage collection and waste disposal, and many also about the lack of a culture among citizens aimed at creating a clean city. It was a great surprise when I met people who were generally indifferent to the idea of ​​having a clean city, this is simply not appropriate for our city. I was also impressed by the fact that citizens no longer believe in the existence of exemplary behavior in people.

One of the respondents assured that when she goes to throw out the garbage and sees the garbage can completely full, she does not throw the garbage, she brings it back and waits for the garbage can to be emptied. I believed it myself deep down, but when I brought this story to the other respondents, everyone expressed the same opinion that it was just bragging.

Our society has already become so pessimistic. There were also many complaints about lighting, according to which secondary streets are mainly neglected, since the lighting at night is very low and it is impossible to go out and enjoy Gyumri at night. Of course, there were also positive opinions about the city’s garbage collection and lighting, because regardless of everything, we cannot deny that the situation in certain parts of the city is good.

The few positive opinions were mainly expressed by residents of central streets. Summing up the entire process of the surveys, I can say one thing for sure: only on the basis of an appropriate culture and mutual trust will it be possible to have a clean and bright city in the future.