EcoLur
Alaverdi copper smelting plant workers stopped their protest demonstration after their meeting with Lori Vice Deputy Head, opened the interstate road and the railroad. The main reason for the protest demonstration is the hearsay about the closedown of the plant. As 'Community Integration and Support Center' NGO Director Oleg Dulgaryan said in his interview with EcoLur, the questions of the works on the further fate of the plant didn't have clear questions. The workers claimed they will continue holding protest demonstrations if the rumors about the closedown of the plant continue getting spread.
The rumors and reasons for the closedown of the copper smelting plant are not clear. According to the rumors among the workers, the reason is the fine of 380 million AMD imposed by Environmental and Mining Inspection Body.
Environmental and Mining Inspection Body Head Arthur Grigoryan told EcoLur that 'ACP' company operating the copper smelting plant hasn't submitted any objection on the fine to the inspection.
Inspection Head noted that the company has e permit to annually emit around 60,000 ton of sulfur dioxide, nevertheless, it emits 33,000 tons. 'The company says it can't emit less and wants to get a permit to emit 38,000 tons, but I am personally against it,' Arthur Grigoryan said.
The operator of Alaverdi copper smelting plant is 'ACP', one of the companies of Vallex Group. Alaverdi copper smelting plant, as well as the property of 'Teghout' CJSC owned by Vallex are pledged at the Russian VTB Bank. In his interview with the Hetq, 'Vallex' Group Company Vice Chair Sahak Karapetyan replied to the question whether it will be possible to take the plant out of the bank pledge,' It's difficult to clearly answer whether we will succeed or not. But we are working in this direction.'
Photo: Oleg Dulgaryan
October 10, 2018 at 18:46