On November 4, 2025, during the session of the Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture and Environmental Protection, the draft law proposing amendments to the Water Code of the Republic of Armenia and Law “On National Water Program of the Republic of Armenia” received a positive conclusion at the second reading.
The draft was presented for discussion by Ara Mkrtchyan, Deputy Minister of Environment.
The “Civil Contract” parliamentary faction proposed a modification to ensure that business operators possessing a positive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) conclusion do not face issues with being denied a water use permit. As a result of joint discussions, these revisions were incorporated into the draft.
"The business operator will apply to the competent authority and receive a water use permit valid for a certain period. This permit will be temporarily suspended until the operator submits a positive conclusion from the environmental impact assessment to the competent authority (within no more than one year). If, after one year, the positive EIA conclusion is not submitted, the water use permit will be considered **null and void**,” the official statement reads.
According to the justification provided by the “Civil Contract” faction, before undergoing an EIA, a business operator will be able to apply for and obtain a temporary permit (certificate) indicating the amount of water available for use in the given location, allowing them to proceed with project design works. Only after the completion of the EIA process will the permit acquire legal force.
This approach will eliminate cases where an operator undergoes EIA procedure, spending significant resources and time, only to later discover that available water volume is insufficient for the project’s implementation.
MP Babken Tunyan noted that the amendments contribute to greater system flexibility and establish clearer rules for business operators.
November 06, 2025 at 13:45