EcoLur
Where do the environmental fees paid to the state budget go? This question was addressed by one of the participants to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture and Environment at “Civil Society Day in the RA National Assembly” (CS Day in the NA) on 11 June. In reply, Committee member Lyova Khachatryan said, “Only 5% of the environmental fees is returned to the communities as damages, but only to those communities, which will write a proposal and submit it…You should help the communities every year to write proposals and to get environmental fees. Neither the village head nor the Aldermen’s Council can write any proposals. Last year around 17 billion AMD was collected, help the affected communities to get it.” Continuing this topic Stepanavan Aarhus Center Coordinator Manya Meliqjanyan said, “Armanis gold mine has been developed in Stepanavan for around 10 years by “Sagamar” Company, but Stepanavan hasn’t got even a penny as an environmental fee.” In reply, Committee member Armen Avetisyan said that he has been dealing with this issue for two years and found out that “Sagamar” Company doesn’t pay any environmental fees. The company doesn’t have to make environmental fees, as it’s not included in the list of companies laid down in RA Law “On Targeted Use of Environmental Fees Paid by Companies”. According to RA Law “On Targeted Use of Environmental Fees Paid by Companies” the following companies pay environmental fees: “Armenian Copper Program”, “Zangezour Copper and Molybdenum Combine”, “Agarak Copper and Molybdenum Combine”, “Deno Gold Mining Company”, “Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine”, “Ararat Cement”, “Mika Cement”, “Hrazdan TPP”, “Yerevan TPP”, “Gajegorts”, “Armenian Nuclear Power Plant”, “Nairit” plant, “Gaj” CJSC, “Armenian Molybdenum Production” LLC, “Pure Iron”, “Asce-Group” and Charentsavan-based “Dzulakentron” companies.
June 12, 2015 at 13:36