Wednesday, August 21 2019 17:46

ArmInfo. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his Facebook page explained the reasons for the earlier decision to send the ELARD conclusion on the Amulsar project to the Ministry of the Environment, "with the order to find out if  there really is data in the conclusion that, according to the  legislation of Armenia, requires new environmental impact assessment.  " "About today's decision, so that there are no disagreements.

Today at the very end of the discussion (as I previously reported,  representatives of Lidian and the responsible ministries also took  part in the meeting) said that I was raising the question for the  last time. Is there any fact the conclusion of ELARD, on the basis of  which it is assumed that the Amulsar project should undergo a new EIA  (environmental and social impact assessment, ed.), "wrote Pashinyan.   As the prime minister explained, he raised this issue, since on  August 19 during a live broadcast he said that at the end of the  meeting on the morning of the same day, he was 99.9% sure, not 100%,  on this issue.  All those present, including representatives of the  Ministry of the Environment, according to Pashinyan, as on August 19,  gave a negative answer.

"I was already preparing to conclude the meeting, as a representative  of the Ministry of the Environment stated that, nevertheless, in his  opinion, the question could be answered after a thorough study of it.  After that, he instructed the apparatus to send an ELARD opinion to  the Ministry of the Environment with an appropriate instruction,"  wrote the head of the Cabinet.  It should be noted that earlier  today, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a regular meeting on the  problems with the development of the Amulsar gold deposit. As a  result of the meeting, the prime minister said on Facebook that the  apparatus of the head of government sent the ELARD's report to the  Ministry of the Environment "with the order to find out whether the  report really contains data that, according to the legislation of  Armenia, requires a new environmental impact assessment".  Recall  that on August 14, the Investigative Committee of Armenia presented  an expert opinion on the Amulsar project of the consulting company  Earthlink & Advanced Resources Development (ELARD).  Based on the  conclusion of the examination, the SC of Armenia stated that there is  no direct connection between the underground waters located on the  territory of the Amulsar project and the thermal hot springs of  Jermuk. There is also no connection with the waters of the Sevan  basin. Moreover, as indicated in the UK, during an earthquake, a  certain concentration of acid drainage can penetrate into the basin  of Lake Sevan through the Spandaryan and Ketchut reservoirs. However,  the combination of this concentration will be insignificant on the  scale of Lake Sevan. The third important conclusion: the impact on  the Arpa, Vorotan and Darb rivers can be mitigated if Lydian Armenia  takes 16 environmental mitigation measures proposed by experts.  According to Hayk Grigoryan, the head of the IC, Lydian Armenia  representatives have already expressed their readiness to implement  15 of the proposed 16 events: they are already carrying out 10  events, 5 will be ready to conduct in the near future. Residents of  the resort town of Jermuk, environmentalists and activists opposed to  the development of the mine did not agree with the conclusions and  came out to protest.  As a result, on the eve in the morning, Prime  Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan held a discussion with  stakeholders. The latter, after the meeting, stated that they were  dissatisfied with the meeting and would continue their struggle,  guided by the motto: "Amulsar should remain a mountain and a point."  Activists in protest decided to block Baghramyan Avenue, many moved  to the building of the National Assembly of Armenia, a brawl took  place between police officers and participants in the protest. As a  result, for the failure to comply with the legal requirements of  police officers, six citizens were subjected to drive. On the issue,  the prime minister also held a closed meeting with deputies of the My  Step faction.  Already in the evening, during the promised "live  broadcast", the Prime Minister gave the green light to the  development of the Amulsar field. According to him, the Armenian  government will conduct constant monitoring during the development of  the Amulsar field. "If during monitoring we suddenly fix that the  Lidian-Armenia company does not comply with the conditions set by us,  then we will give them 90 days to eliminate the gaps or the field  will be closed. That is, the government has all the tools to manage  this process," said he, adding that under current conditions, the  field will be exploited subject to unprecedented high environmental  standards. "Today, according to our clear data, Amulsar does not harm  Sevan. It will work according to the highest environmental criteria.  If we do not fulfill the conditions set by us, they will not take us  seriously. I am 99.9% sure that the field does not pose a threat to  the environment of the RA.  Therefore , we must fulfill the  conditions that we set, "he said, concluding by expressing  bewilderment by the acts of disobedience arranged by the citizens.   Lydian Armenia is a subsidiary of British Lydian International. The  Amulsar project is the largest industrial project in Armenia today  for the development of the Amulsar gold deposit with a total value of  $ 370 million. In August 2016, the start of the project involving the  construction and development of the deposit took place.