NSS Director proposes two options for overcoming illegal logging
19:02,
YEREVAN, JULY 18, ARMENPRESS. Director of the National Security Service of Armenia Artur Vanetsyan talked about the results of the consultation in Tavush Province on the events that took place in Ijevan city on July 17. ARMENPRESS reports almost all the community heads of the province participated in the consultation initiated by Tavush Governor Hayk Chobanyan.
''We had a very direct and sincere conversation to understand the problems and be able to solve them. The message I would like to address to the residents of Tavush Province is the following – Tavush is a unique province with its forests, and they can be used more productively than just as firewood. The forests of Tavush Province can become unique touristic areas and the Government has initiated forests tourism for that goal in order to allow the people to organize leisure and touristic zones in the area of forests’', Vanetsyan said.
As the second option for solving the issue the NSS Director offered that the citizens should be able to use the wood on the ground for heating their houses.
''There was a proposal from the community heads that the state should regulate the process of gathering that wood, so as the citizens do not enter the forests, but the state should do it through relevant bodies and divide among the residents through the heads of communities'', Vanetsyan concluded.
13 people have been arrested in suspicion of conducing hooliganism, signature on not leaving has been chosen as a precautionary measure against 6 people following yesterday’s clashes in Armenia’s Ijevan town.
On July 17, a group of people blocked the Yerevanyan-Ijevanyan intersection in Ijevan town protesting against the toughening of fight against illegal logging. During that period, a group of people, deliberately violating the public order, showed a disrespectful attitude towards the Ijevan residents, insulted them and acted violently. In particular, they injured several police officers with the use of stones.
Criminal case has been launched.
Edited and trenslated by Tigran Sirekanyan
