Political scientist: Amulsar is a reflection of the process of  deligitimation of state institutions

ArmInfo. The situation around Amulsar is a reflection and continuation of the process of deligitimation of state institutions in Armenia. Political scientist  Stepan Danielyan expressed this opinion to ArmInfo.

On September 7, Lydian Armenia security guards beat up environmental  activists and Jermuk residents on the outskirts of the Amulsar gold  mine. According to activists, the incident was provoked by the  company's management, which ordered the guards to use force against  the residents of the community. In response, the company released  video footage from surveillance cameras showing several people  throwing stones in the direction of the Lydian Armenia observation  post and hitting guard dogs. "The processes around Amulsar certainly  have parallels with other processes that have divided our society  into various warring groups. It is noteworthy that these processes  are developing in almost the same pattern. The government is stepping  aside, evading its own responsibilities and, accordingly, making  decisions on this or that problem. As a result, the parties to the  confrontation are forced to settle scores themselves," he said.

According to the political scientist, as a result of the dispute over  the development of the  Amulsar mine, today they have already reached  mutual beating. And it's not so important anymore  which side hit  first.  Danielyan considers the possibility of escalating the  situation to unpredictable consequences as a result of any accident  important. "It is also important that the opposing sides in this  process do not decide anything, decisions, one way or another, are  made by the government," he stressed.

Similar processes, in Danielyan's opinion, are taking place in the  course of various judicial processes in the country. And here  supporters and opponents are ready to grapple in hand-to-hand combat,  both on the street and directly in the courtroom. The reason,  according to the political scientist, is the government's labeling of  the judicial system as "corrupt" and the statements of the head of  state about the absence of a fair trial in Armenia.

"The divide-and-rule style of a revolutionary government is  understandable. However, in situations where it is not very  skillfully applied, ruling, unlike division, may not work. And in  such cases, everyone comes out against the one who evades making  decisions, dodges responsibility for these decisions, dodges his own  responsibilities," the political scientist summed up.  

The Amulsar gold mine is the second largest in Armenia. According to the company,  the mine contains about 73,733 kg of gold with an average grade of  0.78 g / t and 294,367 tons of silver with an average grade of 9.29 g  / t. It is located in the southeast of the country, 13 km from the  resort town of Jermuk, between the rivers Arpa and Vorotan.  Environmentalists and ordinary citizens are concerned that the  operation of the mine may lead to the pollution of the mineral  underground waters of Jermuk and Lake Sevan.  Since the summer of  2018, activists have blocked the roads leading to the mine, thus  preventing its operation. The Armenian government does not express a  clear position on the problem and ways of its settlement. Although  this is required by both sides of the confrontation.