Qaraberd Environmental Protection Initiative has issued a statement regarding geological exploration activities planned at the Qaraberd gold-polymetallic mine in Qaraberd village of Pambak community, Lori Region. The initiative calls on local self-government bodies to defend the rights of citizens and not allow new public hearings to be held. The statement says:
"Starting from 2021, various companies in the Republic of Armenia have made 11 attempts to conduct geological work for gold and polymetallic minerals on agricultural lands in Karaberd village of Pambak community in Lori province of the Republic of Armenia, and essentially for the exploitation of new mines.
It should be noted that just this year, two different companies have already come to the community 3 times with the initiative to conduct hearings, and on August 13, 2025, at 11:00 AM, the 4th attempt of this year is scheduled in Karaberd settlement of Pambak community, which is the 12th since 2021.
On January 21, 2025, public hearings aimed at geological research and assessment of useful minerals were conducted in Pambak, Karaberd, and Bazum settlements of Pambak community at the initiative of "Composite Metal" LLC, during which residents of the settlements and citizens working in agriculture and tourism in the community clearly expressed their position - they are against the mentioned initiative, especially since there is already one gold mine in Karaberd. However, the same company returned to Pambak community again on April 15, 2025, to conduct hearings again in the same settlements, but the hearings organized by Pambak community's local government were canceled because community residents refused to listen to company representatives this time, and a tense situation was created.
It is characteristic that this process was already the third attempt by the given company: the company had also initiated hearings on October 14, 2024, when community residents also rejected and expressed opposition.
On July 9, 2025, another company - "Zov-Guzh" LLC - initiated hearings regarding an application for planned geological research work for mineral extraction in the western and eastern sections of Karaberd deposit in Karaberd settlement of Pambak community, during which Karaberd residents expressed opposition, tension was created between villagers and other citizens expressing opposition, which led to the cancellation of the hearings.
In this situation, it is natural to think that citizens' continuously expressed position should lead one day to that position being respected, but that is not the case. From the official website of Pambak community in Lori province of the Republic of Armenia, we learn that the same company has again initiated hearings on the same topic on August 13, 2025, at 11:00 AM.
We consider it important to note that as early as November 4, 2022, hearings initiated by another company - "ASAT" company operating Karaberd gold mine - in Pambak settlement were not implemented due to community residents and interested public being against it, and from that day until now, 11 more hearings and hearing attempts have been initiated.
What is happening in Karaberd is not only a phenomenon caused by legislative gaps, but also a cynical trampling and disregard of local democracy.
What we have been witnessing for years according to our observations and villagers' words:
Continuous disregard of citizens' positions, continuous processes and attempts of organizing and implementing hearings by various companies by local authorities
Continuous confrontation between various companies (LLCs) for the given territories, during which each tries to create satisfactory moods and opinions for themselves in Karaberd and generally in Pambak community, attract people to their side through various methods, change people's opinions, whose main toolkit consists of organizing food and drinks for villagers or other citizens, promises, working with individuals through their friends or other authorities,
Social tension created by companies by mobilizing their employees and supporters living in other communities to public hearings, who try to silence people expressing opposition during hearings, sometimes with speech characteristic of criminal subculture.
In the days following the failed public hearings in Karaberd on July 9, 2025, according to received information, the same methods were applied by certain circles supporting industry - involving people in festive processes, circulation of promises, working on specific individuals through their friends or acquaintances, spreading false speeches and narratives about citizens expressing opposition to mine expansion.
The sole responsibility for this situation and keeping the settlement continuously in an atmosphere of social tension lies with local self-government bodies, who should have made people's repeatedly expressed position part of local policy and urged initiators to respect their residents' social-ecological rights and not continuously initiate public hearings to dictate their will to citizens. The absence of such policy gives reason to think that these continuous, anti-democratic processes are encouraged by Pambak community's local self-government bodies.
We call on Pambak's local authorities to protect citizens' rights, act according to principles of direct democracy and respect people's opinion, and urge initiators to step back from their intention to conduct hearings once again in Karaberd on August 13.
We urge Pambak community authorities, based on positions already expressed by community residents and citizens from previous hearings, to develop general local policy for Karaberd or Pambak community that will protect citizens from such continuous social-psychological pressures and continuous attempts to turn Karaberd settlement into a comprehensive mining area.
There is already one mine in Karaberd, a second one is unnecessary. It will create new ecological risks not only for Karaberd, but also for Vanadzor city and Pambak and Gugark settlements.
On 13.08.2025, we will all come to Karaberd.
Organization representatives:
Arthur Sakunts, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor Office
Gevorg Kotanjyan, Direct Democracy NGO NGO
Oleg Dulgaryan, Centre for Community Mobilization and Support NGO
July 31, 2025 at 12:59