Armenian News... A Topalian... 8 editorials

EurasiaNet.org

Aug 19 2019

Protests resume over controversial Armenian mine project

A long-awaited report appeared to give the green light to go ahead with the project. But activists and some government members continued to express skepticism about its environmental impact.

Protesters have blocked Armenia’s parliament and presidential palace to demand that the government not proceed with a controversial gold mining project, following the release of a long-awaited report that said the environmental risks from the mine would be manageable. 

“Amulsar will not become a mine,” chanted the protesters, who had come on August 19 from the southern Armenian city of Jermuk, near the proposed mine. Some protesters clashed with police, and six were detained. 

The protests followed the August 14 release of a report commissioned by Armenia’s Investigative Committee and carried out by the Lebanese firm ELARD. The report concluded that, contrary to locals’ and environmental activists’ fears, the mine would not damage the local ecology, in particular the groundwater. Jermuk is home to Armenia’s iconic mineral water brand, and nearby reservoirs and rivers are connected with the country’s largest water source, Lake Sevan. 

“Groundwater flow and contaminant transport pathways between the Project Area and the Jermuk thermal springs do not exist. Due to the hydraulic and physical setting, the mine water will not impact Jermuk springs,” the report said.

The mine has been one of the new government’s key challenges since coming to power last year. It has pitted grassroots activists, of the type that were instrumental in bringing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to power, against proponents of the project – including Western embassies and investors – who promise that it will provide the kind of jobs that Pashinyan has promised. 

After protests against the mine last year, which resulted in work being suspended, Pashinyan promised an independent audit that would allow the project to be assessed based on “facts rather than emotion.” Previous environmental impact reports had been tainted by their ties to Lydian, the company that is building the mine. Following the release of the ELARD report Lydian issued a statement saying that it was “pleased” that it came to most of the same conclusions as previous reports, but took issue with some of the risks that the company identified, such as the mine’s vulnerability in the case of an earthquake.

Following the most recent protests Pashinyan met with some of the activists behind closed doors; some activists reported that they were disappointed with what they heard. Anna Shahbazyan, an activist who left the meeting early, told reporters that “Pashinyan is distorting the report by saying it will have no impact on Sevan. In the report, it concluded that the inspections done before by Lydian are not complete and include risks.” 

Pashinyan also held meetings with members of parliament from his My Step alliance to discuss the report and the future of the project. Following the meeting, one MP, Varazdat Karapetyan, said the report’s conclusion contained many “problematic” findings. “As long as these problems exist we shouldn’t allow mining,” he told reporters. 

Pashinyan said in a Facebook post that he would announce his decision about whether or not to go ahead with the project later on August 19. 

Before the report’s release, Lydian threatened that if the government were to pull out of the project it would sue for damages. Some have suggested the damages sought would be up to $2 billion. Pashinyan said in response that “there is no need to be afraid” of the potential litigation and that the government only intended to clarify whether or not there would be environmental risks. “We employed a high-ranking international organization to assess the risk, if the conclusion is negative then the project will be completely shut down. If the risks are not big and manageable, it will continue.”

Ani Mejlumyan is a reporter based in Yerevan.

Mining Journal

Aug 19 2019

Victory for Lydian as Armenia launches criminal case 

                                      

Lydian International has scored a victory in Armenia after a court of appeal compelled local police to prosecute a group of protesters who have been illegally blocking access to the Amulsar gold project for more than a year. 

Lydian International's Amulsar gold project in Armenia is still under construction       

In July 2018, Lydian filed a complaint with the Jermuk Unit of the Vayots Dzor police department to initiate a criminal investigation. The police denied the request, and Lydian applied to the Ararat and Vayots Dzor region general jurisdiction court in September 2018 for a reversal of the police decision.

In January, the court ruled in Lydian's favour, noting the police had failed to initiate a criminal case.

The Vayots Dzor prosecutor appealed the initial court's ruling. In April, the criminal court of appeal rejected that petition, but the deputy prosecutor general appealed to Armenia's highest court, which dismissed the appeal on July 18.

The Cassation Court's ruling compels the state to criminally investigate the protesters for hooliganism and arrogation of the Armenian criminal code through their actions in setting up illegal blockades.

All three appeals in the process were met with support from Armenian courts.

Lydian had laid off 83% of its workforce or 243 employees, and estimated 1,100 contracted jobs had been lost due to the blockades, according to its 2018 results.

The company has flagged the possibility of taking its dispute to international arbitration.

It expects Amulsar to produce 225,000oz gold annually over an initial 10-year life.

The development sent Lydian shares (TSX:LYD) higher on Friday to C15.5c, which capitalises the company at $117.8 million. The stock has gained one-third in the past 30 days but is still trading 16% below its year-earlier level.

News.am, Armenia

Aug 19 2019

Armenia PM reminds opponents of his position on Amulsar issue 

              

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reminded his last year’s position on Amulsar issue to his opponents.

The PM began his meeting on Amulsar issue by quoting his own last year’s statement.

Pashinyan recalled that in his statement of June 25, 2018, he called for an end to civil disobedience and allow the government to deal with the issue.

“I want to understand the reasons for acts of civil disobedience, because the goal can give rise to a double understanding, and we are now trying to understand what exactly is happening. Which goal is more correct. I urge to cease civil disobedience and enable the government to ascertain the facts and made a decision based on the facts. All decisions must be factual,” he said adding that they cannot make decisions if they are not sure for 100%.

“I hope everyone understands that the government is not connected with Amulsar, nor with another mine, nor with anyone else's corruption or other ties. There is no subject in the relationship with whom we are shackled by something. But in any case, our actions should be based on facts, and we ask you to give us such an opportunity. I ask you not to tell us what should be so, and not otherwise. We will search for objective facts and our possible solution will be based on facts, regardless of what these facts will be. We invite everyone to a dialogue,” the Prime Minister quoted as saying, also recalling that he called on opponents a year ago to help gather facts. “Because the reality may be different than it seems, and the goal is different than what is stated. This is our position,” he recalled.

As reported earlier, opponents of the development of the Amulsar filed indicate the failure of the examination, which may become the basis for the development of the field.

The examination was carried out on the basis of the data provided by Lydian, but even it indicates the impossibility to calculate all the risks associated with the operation of the mine.

News.am, Armenia

Aug 19 2019

Mayor of Armenia's Jermuk against operation of Amulsar gold mine 

The Prime Minister promised to meet in Jermuk since there is a lot to discuss. This is what Mayor of Jermuk Vardan Hovhannisyan told journalists following a discussion on the Amulsar gold mine issue with the Prime Minister today.

“It was a short meeting. The Prime Minister was in a hurry and promised to meet in Jermuk since there is a lot to discuss. I am neither an expert nor specialist. It wasn’t specifically stated that the mine will be operated,” he said.

According to the mayor, the citizens of Jermuk have differing views in regard to the operation of the mine, but most of them are against it. When asked about his opinion, the mayor said he agrees with the residents.

“As mayor of Jermuk, I support my citizens. I was born in Jermuk, which is a resort town, and my parents worked in this resort town. I can’t understand how the mining industry can be compared with a resort town,” he said.

As reported earlier, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Monday met with Jermuk town residents and environmentalists, to discuss the matter of whether the Amulsar gold mine should resume operations.

In the meantime, a protest against operation of the Amulsar gold mine was taking place in front of the Office of the Prime Minister. Later, the protesters wanted to hold a public discussion in the garden of the National Assembly, but they weren’t allowed. The police and protesters clashed, police red berets apprehended demonstrators by force, including environmental activists Ani Khachatryan and Gegham Adyan. Civic activist, human rights activist Zaruhi Hovhannisyan was thrown to the ground during the clash.

Armenpress.am

Ani Mejlumyan Aug 19, 2019

Touristic flow to Gyumri rises following PM’s visit

Touristic flow to Gyumri rose following the recent visit of PM Pashinyan to the city, ARMENPRESS reports Gyumri Mayor Samvel Balasanyan told the reporters on August 16.

“The Prime Minister introduced our city on a live broadcast in a way that really existed in reality but probably not everyone knew it. Today also our compatriots from the Diaspora understood that they should go to Gyumri.  After PM Pashinyan visited Gyumri and presented it in detail the number of tourists grew. For example, today we have guests from France. They come to just walk in our streets.  I am very thankful to the PM for that act. No one had ever presented Gyumri so well”, Balasanyan said.

PM Pashinyan, accompanied with his wife Anna Hakobyan, visited Gyumri on August 11 and told about the city via a Facebook live broadcast. The PM urged businessmen to invest in Gyumri.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan

Armenpress.am

17 August, 2019

Hrazdan to have 2 new solar power stations

20% of the overall power output is generated in Kotayk province, Governor Romanos Petrosyan said at the My Step for Kotayk Province business forum today.

He said that the Hrazdan TPP and the Hrazdan 5th power block produce the most energy in the province. 

“Today, 17 HPPs operate on the Hrazdan and Marmarik rivers”.

In 2008 a 430kw solar power station was built in the province.

“And in 2019 it is planned to build two 1 MW photovoltaic solar stations”.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Arminfo, Armenia

Aug 17 2019

First skyscraper to be built in Yerevan

Alexandr Avanesov

A multifunctional complex will be built in the capital of Armenia. On August 19, a memorandum of intent will be signed between Laura Investment LLC  (Armenia) and Bayonne Engineering Consulting LLC (United Arab  Emirates), which are involved in the implementation of the project.

Minister of Emergency Situations Feliks Tsolakyan, Minister of  Economy Tigran Khachatryan, Minister of Territorial Administration  and Infrastructure Suren Papikyan, Chief Architect of Yerevan Arthur  Meshchyan, and other officials will attend the signing ceremony.

According to Laura Investment LLC, the construction of the complex  will take 5-6 years, the project will cost $ 250 million. According  to the project, the height of the Unforgettable complex will be 270  meters and 71 floors. During the construction process, 2500 temporary  new jobs will be created during the implementation of the project,  and 1300 on an ongoing basis.

Designs developed by Bayonne Engineering Consulting LLC were  implemented in Armenia, Germany, the USA and the Russian Federation.  Among its architectural solutions include the construction of the  Portland Bridge in Oregon, the construction of a bridge over the San  Francisco Bay, the Alta Key skyscraper in Chicago and many other  large residential and multifunctional buildings and complexes.

Panorama, Armenia

Aug 19 2019

Production volumes of wine increase in Armenia

Armenia’s wine output recorded an increase of 42,8% in January-June  2019 over the same period last year, with the wine production volumes amounting to 5,744,5 liters in the country, the statistics show.

According to the figures released by the National Statistical Service (NSS),  total of 252.7 liters of champagne-wines were produced in Armenia in the indicated period, up by 31.8% from the volumes last year.

The production volumes of vodka and vodka liqueur totaling to 2,29.4  liters were produced in the country in the first six months of 2019, up by 30.6% from the same period last year. As to the beer production, its volumes also grew in the indicated period to stand at 12,144.4 liters, thus increasing by 19.6% comparted to the 2018 figures.