diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 724026f..02022ef 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -163,10 +163,9 @@ set(PARALLEL_REG src/ParallelizationRegions/ParRegions.cpp
         src/ParallelizationRegions/resolve_par_reg_conflicts.cpp
         src/ParallelizationRegions/resolve_par_reg_conflicts.h
         src/ParallelizationRegions/uniq_name_creator.cpp
-        src/ParallelizationRegions/uniq_name_creator.h)
-
-set(MERGE_REGIONS src/ParallelizationRegions/merge_regions.cpp
-         src/ParallelizationRegions/merge_regions.h)
+        src/ParallelizationRegions/uniq_name_creator.h
+        src/ParallelizationRegions/merge_regions.h
+        src/ParallelizationRegions/merge_regions.cpp)
 
 set(TR_DEAD_CODE src/Transformations/DeadCodeRemoving/dead_code.cpp
         src/Transformations/DeadCodeRemoving/dead_code.h)
@@ -430,7 +429,6 @@ set(SOURCE_EXE
     ${LOOP_ANALYZER}
     ${TRANSFORMS}
     ${PARALLEL_REG}
-    ${MERGE_REGIONS}
     ${PRIV}
     ${FDVM}
     ${OMEGA}
@@ -484,7 +482,6 @@ source_group (GraphCall FILES ${GR_CALL})
 source_group (GraphLoop FILES ${GR_LOOP})
 source_group (LoopAnalyzer FILES ${LOOP_ANALYZER})
 source_group (ParallelizationRegions FILES ${PARALLEL_REG})
-source_group (MergeRegions FILES ${MERGE_REGIONS})
 source_group (PrivateAnalyzer FILES ${PRIV})      
 source_group (FDVM_Compiler FILES ${FDVM})
 source_group (SageExtension FILES ${OMEGA})
diff --git a/src/DirectiveProcessing/directive_parser.cpp b/src/DirectiveProcessing/directive_parser.cpp
index e653f26..5af0f02 100644
--- a/src/DirectiveProcessing/directive_parser.cpp
+++ b/src/DirectiveProcessing/directive_parser.cpp
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 #include <cstdio>
 #include <cstring>
-#include <cstring>
 #include <cstdlib>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
@@ -584,6 +583,37 @@ void fillCheckpointFromComment(Statement *stIn, map<int, Expression*> &clauses,
 template void fillCheckpointFromComment(Statement *stIn, map<int, Expression*> &clauses, set<Symbol*> &vars, set<Symbol*> &expt);
 template void fillCheckpointFromComment(Statement *stIn, map<int, Expression*> &clauses, set<string> &vars, set<string> &expt);
 
+template<typename fillType>
+void fillMergeArraysFromComment(Statement* stIn, pair<fillType, fillType>& toReplace)
+{
+    if (stIn)
+    {
+        SgStatement* st = stIn->GetOriginal();
+        if (st->variant() == SPF_TRANSFORM_DIR)
+        {
+            SgExpression* exprList = st->expr(0);
+            while (exprList)
+            {
+                const int var = exprList->lhs()->variant();
+                if (var == SPF_MERGE_ARRAYS_OP)
+                {
+                    if (!exprList->lhs()->lhs() || !exprList->lhs()->rhs())
+                        printInternalError(convertFileName(__FILE__).c_str(), __LINE__);
+
+                    fillType *dummy = NULL;
+                    toReplace = std::make_pair(getData(exprList->lhs()->lhs(), dummy), 
+                                               getData(exprList->lhs()->rhs(), dummy));
+                    break;
+                }
+                exprList = exprList->rhs();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+template void fillMergeArraysFromComment(Statement* st, pair<string, string>& toReplace);
+template void fillMergeArraysFromComment(Statement* st, pair<Symbol*, Symbol*>& toReplace);
+
 void fillInfoFromDirectives(const LoopGraph *loopInfo, ParallelDirective *directive)
 {
     SgForStmt *currentLoop = (SgForStmt*)loopInfo->loop;
diff --git a/src/DirectiveProcessing/directive_parser.h b/src/DirectiveProcessing/directive_parser.h
index f632940..3e5d954 100644
--- a/src/DirectiveProcessing/directive_parser.h
+++ b/src/DirectiveProcessing/directive_parser.h
@@ -52,4 +52,7 @@ void fillShrinkFromComment(Statement *stIn, std::vector<std::pair<fillType, std:
 template<typename fillType>
 void fillCheckpointFromComment(Statement *stIn, std::map<int, Expression*> &clauses, std::set<fillType> &vars, std::set<fillType> &expt);
 
+template<typename fillType>
+void fillMergeArraysFromComment(Statement* stIn, std::pair<fillType, fillType>& toReplace);
+
 int getCoverPropertyFromComment(Statement* stIn);
diff --git a/src/DirectiveProcessing/spf_directive_preproc.cpp b/src/DirectiveProcessing/spf_directive_preproc.cpp
index 48bb8ad..191fd8f 100644
--- a/src/DirectiveProcessing/spf_directive_preproc.cpp
+++ b/src/DirectiveProcessing/spf_directive_preproc.cpp
@@ -186,12 +186,13 @@ static bool checkCover(SgStatement* st,
     return retVal;
 }
 
-static bool checkProcessPrivate(SgStatement* st,
-                                SgStatement* attributeStatement,
-                                const set<Symbol*>& privates,
-                                vector<Messages>& messagesForFile)
+static bool checkDeclaration(SgStatement* st,
+                             SgStatement* attributeStatement,
+                             const set<Symbol*>& variables,
+                             vector<Messages>& messagesForFile)
 {
     // PROCESS_PRIVATE(VAR)
+    // MERGE_ARRAYS(ARR1, ARR2)
     const int var = st->variant();
     bool retVal = true;
     
@@ -203,12 +204,12 @@ static bool checkProcessPrivate(SgStatement* st,
         set<string> varDef, varUse;
 
         fillVarsSets(iterator, end, varDef, varUse);
-        for (auto& privElemS : privates)
+        for (auto& var : variables)
         {
-            const string privElem = privElemS->GetOriginal()->identifier();
+            const string varElem = var->GetOriginal()->identifier();
             bool defCond = true;
 
-            if (varDef.find(privElem) == varDef.end())
+            if (varDef.find(varElem) == varDef.end())
                 defCond = false;
 
             if (!defCond)
@@ -1784,7 +1785,7 @@ static inline bool processStat(SgStatement *st, const string &currFile,
             fillPrivatesFromComment(new Statement(attributeStatement), privates, SPF_PROCESS_PRIVATE_OP);
             if (privates.size())
             {
-                bool result = checkProcessPrivate(st, attributeStatement, privates, messagesForFile);
+                bool result = checkDeclaration(st, attributeStatement, privates, messagesForFile);
                 retVal = retVal && result;
             }
 
@@ -1938,11 +1939,20 @@ static inline bool processStat(SgStatement *st, const string &currFile,
             if (isSPF_OP(attributeStatement, SPF_MERGE_ARRAYS_OP))
             {
                 attributeStatement->setLocalLineNumber(-1);
-                /*if (st->variant() != FOR_NODE)
+                if (!isSgDeclarationStatement(st))
                 {
-                    BAD_POSITION_FULL(ERROR, "", "", "before", RR1_1, "DO statement", RR1_3, attributeStatement->lineNumber());
+                    BAD_POSITION_FULL(ERROR, "", "", "before", RR1_1, "declataion statement", RR1_9, attributeStatement->lineNumber());
                     retVal = false;
-                }*/
+                }
+                else
+                {                    
+                    pair<Symbol*, Symbol*> toReplacePair;
+                    fillMergeArraysFromComment(new Statement(attributeStatement), toReplacePair);
+
+                    set<Symbol*> toCheckDecl = { toReplacePair.first };
+                    bool result = checkDeclaration(st, attributeStatement, toCheckDecl, messagesForFile);
+                    retVal = retVal && result;
+                }
             }
         }
         else if (type == SPF_CHECKPOINT_DIR)
diff --git a/src/ParallelizationRegions/merge_regions.cpp b/src/ParallelizationRegions/merge_regions.cpp
index 4c68fb2..ed3a5dc 100644
--- a/src/ParallelizationRegions/merge_regions.cpp
+++ b/src/ParallelizationRegions/merge_regions.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include <set>
 #include <map>
 #include "merge_regions.h"
+#include "../DirectiveProcessing/directive_parser.h"
 
 using std::map;
 using std::set;
@@ -10,46 +11,6 @@ using std::pair;
 using std::string;
 using std::vector;
 
-//TODO: need to create new clause!!
-static void parseMergeDirective(const char *comment,
-                                vector<pair<string, string>> &parsed_mapping)
-{
-    while (comment)
-    {
-        auto *line_end = strchr(comment, '\n');
-
-        static const char prefix[] = "!!spf transform(merge_arrays(";
-        static const auto compare_chars = sizeof(prefix) - 1;
-
-        if (strlen(comment) >= compare_chars)
-        {
-            std::string comment_cmp(comment, compare_chars);
-            convertToLower(comment_cmp);
-
-            if (comment_cmp == prefix)
-            {
-                auto* pair_start = comment + compare_chars;
-                auto* comma = strchr(pair_start, ',');
-                if (comma)
-                {
-                    auto* close_br = strchr(comma + 1, ')');
-                    if (close_br)
-                    {
-                        parsed_mapping.emplace_back(
-                            string(pair_start, comma - pair_start),
-                            string(comma + 1, close_br - comma - 1));
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        comment = line_end;
-
-        if (comment)
-            comment++;
-    }
-}
-
 static string getNonDefaultRegion(DIST::Array *a)
 {
     string result;
@@ -217,7 +178,7 @@ static SgExpression* findExprWithVariant(SgExpression* exp, int variant)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-SgType* GetArrayType(DIST::Array *array)
+static SgType* GetArrayType(DIST::Array *array)
 {
     if (!array)
         return NULL;
@@ -242,11 +203,11 @@ SgType* GetArrayType(DIST::Array *array)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-SgSymbol *insertDeclIfNeeded(const string &array_name,
-                             const string &common_block_name,
-                             DIST::Array *example_array,
-                             FuncInfo *dest,
-                             map<FuncInfo *, map<string, SgSymbol *>> &inserted_arrays)
+static SgSymbol *insertDeclIfNeeded(const string &array_name,
+                                   const string &common_block_name,
+                                   DIST::Array *example_array,
+                                   FuncInfo *dest,
+                                   map<FuncInfo *, map<string, SgSymbol *>> &inserted_arrays)
 {
     auto *type = GetArrayType(example_array);
 
@@ -462,17 +423,20 @@ void mergeRegions(vector<ParallelRegion *> &regions, const map<string, vector<Fu
 
             for (; curr_stmt && curr_stmt != stmt_end; curr_stmt = curr_stmt->lexNext())
             {
-                if (curr_stmt->comments())
+                auto attributes = getAttributes<SgStatement*, SgStatement*>(curr_stmt, set<int>{SPF_TRANSFORM_DIR});
+                
+                for (auto& attr : attributes)
                 {
-                    vector<pair<string, string>> parsed_mapping;
-                    parseMergeDirective(curr_stmt->comments(), parsed_mapping);
+                    pair<string, string> parsed_mapping = { "", "" };
+                    const auto empty = parsed_mapping;
+                    fillMergeArraysFromComment(new Statement(attr), parsed_mapping);
 
-                    for (const auto &p : parsed_mapping)
+                    if (parsed_mapping != empty)
                     {
-                        auto *found_array = getArrayFromDeclarated(curr_stmt, p.first);
+                        auto* found_array = getArrayFromDeclarated(curr_stmt, parsed_mapping.first);
                         if (found_array)
                         {
-                            arrays_to_merge[p.second].insert(found_array);
+                            arrays_to_merge[parsed_mapping.second].insert(found_array);
                             array_alignment[found_array] = {};
                         }
                     }
diff --git a/src/Transformations/ArrayConstantPropagation/propagation.cpp b/src/Transformations/ArrayConstantPropagation/propagation.cpp
index 81c48cc..0b87937 100644
--- a/src/Transformations/ArrayConstantPropagation/propagation.cpp
+++ b/src/Transformations/ArrayConstantPropagation/propagation.cpp
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ static void processLoopBound(SgStatement* st,
 
     getBorderVars(exp, st->fileName(), borderVars);
 
-    if (containsArrayRefRecursive(exp), borderVars, st->fileName())
+    if (containsArrayRefRecursive(exp))
     {
         copyStatement(st);
 
@@ -575,7 +575,6 @@ void arrayConstantPropagation(SgProject& project)
                     
                     processLoopBound(st, st->expr(0), upperBoundUnparsed, true,  arrayToVariable, borderVars);
                     processLoopBound(st, st->expr(0), lowerBoundUnparsed, false, arrayToVariable, borderVars);
-                       
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -601,9 +600,7 @@ void arrayConstantPropagation(SgProject& project)
     {
         SgFile::switchToFile(fileName);
         for (SgStatement* st : statements)
-        {
             insertCommonAndDeclsForFunction(st, variablesToAdd);
-        }
     }
 
     map<string, map<SgStatement*, vector<pair<string, string>>>> result;
diff --git a/src/Utils/errors.h b/src/Utils/errors.h
index 274e779..7d8abe5 100644
--- a/src/Utils/errors.h
+++ b/src/Utils/errors.h
@@ -322,6 +322,7 @@ static const wchar_t *RR1_5 = L"RR1_5:";
 static const wchar_t *RR1_6 = L"RR1_6:";
 static const wchar_t *RR1_7 = L"RR1_7:";
 static const wchar_t *RR1_8 = L"RR1_8:";
+static const wchar_t *RR1_9 = L"RR1_9:";
 
 static const wchar_t *R2 = L"R2:";
 static const wchar_t *R3 = L"R3:";
diff --git a/src/Utils/version.h b/src/Utils/version.h
index 24f80ed..f83fd22 100644
--- a/src/Utils/version.h
+++ b/src/Utils/version.h
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 #pragma once
 
-#define VERSION_SPF "2485"
+#define VERSION_SPF "2486"