EcoLur
Journalist Tehmineh Yenokyan has submitted a report to RA Special Investigation Service against Environmental and Mining Inspection for failing to appear in the trials on Amulsar case and defending the Inspection's interests. The report states:
“I, Tehmine Yenokyan, as the citizen of the Republic of Armenia and a resident of Gndevaz village in Vayots Dzor Region affected by Amulsar project, report on a complete inaction of Environmental and Mining Inspection, for failing to defend the interests of the state and the citizens and not appearing in court while not using taxes paid by me. The lawsuit filed by Lydian Armenia, a corporation having coprorate interests, was tried by RA Administrative Court, while Environmental and Mining Inspection, the respondent, did not appear in court.
The Administrative Court ruled to recognized the decision of Environmental and Mining Inspection to obligatee the company operating Amulsar to refrain from all activities aimed at exploiting the mine. The verdict is based on two circumstances: the existence of the red-listed biodiversity units found is not justified and the head of the inspection was an interested party and should not have made a decision on the matter.
These findings of the court are based solely on the plaintiff's evidence submitted by the company, as the contrary was not presented. Most of that evidence was created for the company by Ministry of Nature Protection through illegal actions that had to be removed from the evidence basis during the trial because they had been obtained illegally.
The court conclusion that Arthur Grigoryan, the former head of the inspection, was interested because he had previously opposed the exploitation of the mine generally delegitimizes the incumbent authorities in almost all its initiatives. It turns out that the executive cannot initiate processes for transitional justice and return of the previously robbed property so on, because the people involved in those bodies had previously held positions on these issues."
October 23, 2019 at 13:35