Great question, @Teo. Indeed
Good question, @Teo. Indeed this is another obstacle to the integration of the refugees in Armenia as the locals’ attitude towards them is if not hostile then at least indifferent. It is sometimes hard for the newcomers to rent an apartment as the landlords do not trust them and prefer to rent to locals or Europeans/Americans instead. Syrian shopkeepers and restaurant owners mention some local people do not prefer to buy from them.
As Armenia has lots of unsolved social issues(e.g. in Gyumri, the second largest city in Armenia lots of people still live in temporary houses provided by humanitarian aid back in 1988 due to the earthquake), some locals feel those issues should be addressed first before addressing the refugees’ issues.
This is sad, as most of the Syrian refugees in Armenia have Armenian origin and their ancestors fled the Turkish massacres of 1915-1924 to find shelter in Syria, and Armenians talk a lot about recognition of the Armenian Genocide forgetting that the grandchildren of the victims are now back in their homeland and they need urgent help.