On February 15, 2022, the meeting of the third working group of the Armenian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum took place at EcoLur Press Club. The purpose of the meeting was to develop proposals on the EaP CSF Strategy Action Plan for 2022-2030, to discuss the response of Yerevan Municipality to the pollution of Hrazdan River and Lake Yerevan Cleanup Plan and to clarify further actions, to discuss the draft law on making amendments to RA Law on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Expertise.
The meeting was attended physically and online by Inga Zarafyan, President of EcoLur Informational NGO, Kristina Ter-Matevosyan, EcoLur’s Journalist, Marie Chakryan, President of Public Awareness Monitoring Center, and Amalya Hambardzumyan, President of Khazer Ecological and Cultural NGO, NGO expert Aram Gabrielyan, Director of Aarhus Center in Yerevan Silva Ayvazyan, Head of Dalma-Sona Educational and Cultural Foundation Ruzanna Ghazaryan, President of Bird Lovers Center Silva Adamyan, Tehmine Yenoqyan, President of Green Armenia NGO, Oleg Dulgaryan, President of Center for Community Consolidation and Support NGO, Karen Chilingaryan, President of Consumer Counseling Center NGO, Liana Asoyan, President of Blejan NGO, Director of Forests of Armenia NGO Nazeli Vardanyan, President of Ecoteam NGO Artashes Sargsyan.
The draft EIA was put into circulation on the joint website www.e-draft.am for publishing draft legal acts. It was noted that there was no public discussion on the project, the suggestions of the civil society were not considered.
The other issue of discussion was RA draft law "On Making Amendments to RA Soil Code" without reporting by the executive at meeting of RA Government on 10.02.2022. The majority of the third Working Group participated in and joined the statement against this draft law, which requires the National Assembly to return the draft law.
The issue of the status of Environmental Public Council adjunct to Environment Ministry was discussed. Those present stressed that no council meeting had been held in the last few months and no explanation had been given for not holding meetings.
Another important issue was the regulation of solar energy, the risks and dangers associated with its rapid development. "The construction projects of the solar stations receive EIA conclusions, but those conclusions do not contain the requirements of waste management, the order of use of agricultural lands, the issues of financial and social responsibility. "National Program of Renewable Energy and Energy Saving Plan for 2022-2030” has already been developed and put into circulation project without a normative base.
We are told that when there is new legislation, then the relevant norms will be included. Meanwhile, this issue should be included in the strategy, as its absence causes many problems,” Inga Zarafyan said and proposed to discuss this issue within the framework of the EaP CSF strategy action plan for 2022-2030. Nazeli Vardanyan noted that even if a new legislation is adopted, it will not have retroactive effect on the conclusions of the previously submitted drafts and EIA conclusions.
A proposal was made to prepare a comprehensive document on the issues raised with its justifications, to address it to Speaker of the National Assembly, Minister of Territorial Administration, Environment Minister and Yerevan Municipality with the expectation of organizing constructive and transparent meetings.
February 21, 2022 at 17:47