On April 22, 2025 an extraordinary session was held in the National Assembly of Armenia at the initiative of the Ministry of Environment, with a draft law on amending RA Law "On Specially Protected Nature Areas" on the agenda. The draft was presented to MPs by Minister of Environment Hakob Simidyan.
The proposed amendment seeks to establish a legal basis for water intake from state nature reserves exclusively in cases where such use is a vital necessity for supplying adjacent communities with drinking, domestic, or agricultural (irrigation) water and when no alternative water sources are available in the area.
The regulation would apply "only to cases" where the relevant "water infrastructure was constructed before December 2, 1991", the date when the original law came into force. This refers specifically to systems built within state reserve territories prior to that date and used for drinking and irrigation purposes.
The urgency of the proposal is tied to resolving irrigation issues for approximately 670 hectares of agricultural land and around 1,400 households in Garni community.
Presenting the draft, Minister Simidyan noted: "In 1972, during the Soviet period, a water system was built within Khosrov Forest State Reserve, supplying irrigation water to the Garni community. Due to stricter administrative regulations—particularly the requirement that all water users, including WUAs (Water User Associations), install online water meters—some have faced operational challenges."
In light of the above, it is proposed that permits be issued for the use of water (for drinking or irrigation) through systems built before January 4, 1992—corresponding to the enforcement date of the original law—if no alternative water source exists in the area.
The National Assembly adopted the draft in the first reading. According to the Assembly’s decision, the second reading will take place within 24 hours of the first.
April 23, 2025 at 14:12