Forecast: Pashinyan will make the right decision on Amulsar

ArmInfo.The Armenian authorities, together with other political forces, if there are any,  of course, must be able to present their own approaches to Amulsar  problem with the aim of making them common. A similar opinion was  expressed to ArmInfo by economist Vahagn Khachatryan.

"To this end, balanced discussions are needed. And if in the end it  becomes clear that the development of the mine is incompatible with  the environment, I am convinced that Nikol Pashinyan will make an  appropriate decision. In my opinion, the Armenian prime minister does  not have any dependence on anyone in making decisions. This is his  biggest advantage, "he said.

Amulsar mine is located 10 kilometers from the resort of Jermuk.  According to the explored reserves of gold, the mine takes the second  place in Armenia. Geological exploration of the area, which began in  2007, ended in 2015 with an environmental and social assessment of  mining at the mine. Civil activists and environmentalists opposed the  mine's operation, organizing mass protests in this regard, forcing  Lydian Armenia to conduct additional research.

According to the economist, mining has always occupied a special  place in Armenia.  Khachatryan recalled that large-scale exploitation  of the country's subsoil began after 1998, prior to that new permits  had not been issued. At the same time, there are no calculations  regarding the capabilities of a small country to carry such a heavy  load.  The economist is convinced of the need for specialized  calculations in order to find out whether Armenian citizens are  generally able to live normally in such an environment. Another  necessary step, in his opinion, is the need to develop a strategy for  the mining industry. Khachatryan is convinced that the mere presence  of such a document would prevent the emergence of the Amulsar  problem.

According to his estimates, from 2000 to 2018 the Ministry of Nature  Protection and the Government of Armenia did their utmost to  contribute to its destruction, leaving the successors a hopeless  system that did not provide for any responsibility. Against this  background, the same initiators of the Amulsar project today are  trying to earn political dividends on its consequences for the  purpose of their own political resurrection.

"For me personally, this is simply unacceptable, since the tasks set  for Lydian Armenia in 2011 certainly did not pursue the goal of  increasing the welfare of Armenian citizens. Nobody asked us, our  opinion did not interest them. Today, people have come to power who  enjoy trust and, accordingly, the support of society.  However, these  people also experience certain restrictions, as they represent the  state with all the attendant consequences: responsibility, rules of  the game, international principles, etc. The main difference in the  situation between the "noughties" today is the possibility of  discussing the problem and reaching a mutually acceptable consensus.  And in my opinion such an opportunity should not be neglected, "the  economist concluded.