The residents of enlarged Jermuk community, Vayots Dzor Region, are demanding to organize a new discussion on the Amulsar project. They voiced their demand on March 17, 2023 during a meeting with Jermuk Mayor and members of Council of Elders. Civil society representatives also participated in the meeting, who discussed the risks and dangers associated with the operation of Amulsar gold-bearing quartzite mine.
Garegin Miskaryan, Head of "Democratic Platform" Foundation. "The rights of local residents must be respected. If the resident of Jermuk stood up and said no, it will be a trump card in the hands of the government against pressures in this matter... There is pressure on the government and that is why they do not hold hearings in Jermuk, because they know the community will be against it."
President of "Green Armenia" NGO Tehmine Yenoqyan, "The company had the support of two embassies and international banks. Today, the company doesn't have all that, except for a memo.
President of "EcoLur" Informational NGO Inga Zarafyan, "The risks we represent are, of course, important for development banks, but the most important thing is their money. Everything is looked at from the point of view of money. When we presented that the program did not meet the standards, they looked at the company's money. After receiving each positive conclusion, the value of the company's shares has increased in the stock exchanges. When the banks realized that they could no longer make a lot of money in the stock market, they got out of the game. Now it is the Eurasian Development Bank, which has no standards, no policy, and no international recognition."
Director of "Forests of Armenia" NGO Nazeli Vardanyan, "In the near future, at the Multi-Stakeholder Group meeting of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, we will be required to present all the decisions related to Amulsar, the obligations related to the 12.5% share of Armenia and the agreements signed between the Government of Armenia, the Eurasian Development Bank and Lydian Armenia CJSC."
The government is manipulating at the expense of the security of the citizens. If the reservoirs were hit, the cableway was hit, which also prevents shooting at the cyan platform. 80% of Armenia's waters are located in that area."
Oleg Dulgaryan, President of "Center for Community Mobilization and Support " NGO, said, "Until now, the state is not able to study the diseases of the residents of communities "buried" in waste, there are no appropriate mechanisms. Arsenic in the hair of children in communities affected by the mine is 17 times higher than the standard. It's poisoning for life."
The residents of Gndevaz demanded, "We want Council of Elders and Municipality to address the government and organize a meeting with the participation of community members. We demand from the government that the heads of the ministries who gave a positive conclusion to the program, the ministers who give a speech and say that there are no health problems, attend this discussion."
March 27, 2023 at 14:06