YEREVAN. – The first local referendums on the merger—that is, enlargement—of Armenia’s communities will be conducted on May 17 in several communities of the Lori, Syunik, and Tavush Provinces.

The respective decision was made at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting.

The written explanation for this decision states that in the case when the precept of “one village, one community” was primarily in force in the past, now the Armenian state is preparing to enlarge the local communities. To this end, several villages—or towns—are assembled in fourteen groups.

The first three pilot projects will be put to a referendum on May 17. They will be the Tumanyan city and surrounding villages in the Lori Province, Tatev village and surrounding villages in the Syunik Province, and Dilijan city and surrounding villages in the Tavush Province.

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan noted that this project will be ongoing.