Category: 2020

ArmInfo.The Armenian Environmental Front (AEF) issued a statement in connection with the situation around the Amulsar field.

In particular, the statement notes that back in December 2018, the  Prime Minister told the residents of Jermuk that the future of  Amulsar would be decided based on the results of an international  examination.  “The RA Investigative Committee published the results  of the examination of Elard in the summer of 2019, trying to present  them with positive accents for Lydian Armenia,” activists note,  adding that this circumstance did not mislead the public.

“The RA government did not fulfill its promise and left the burden  and responsibility for a fair solution of the problem on the  shoulders of Jermuk people and conscientious citizens. Meanwhile, it  would be a very simple decision – based on the results of an  international study, to invalidate the positive expert opinion given  by the previous corrupt government in 2016. The unreasonable delay in  solving the problem in July- August 2020 led to a serious aggravation  of the situation and clashes both on the approaches to Amulsar and in  Yerevan, “the All-Armenian Environmental Front notes.

The total cost of the Amulsar project is $ 370 million. The life of  the deposit is 10 years and 4 months, with an average annual  production of 200 thousand ounces of gold planned. To recall, Lydian  Armenia is a subsidiary of the British offshore Lydian International.  Environmentalists and ordinary citizens are concerned that the  exploitation of the mine may lead to the pollution of the mineral  underground waters of Jermuk and Lake Sevan. In addition to the water  basin, the public is also concerned about the possible presence of  uranium manifestations at the deposit. Environmentalists and  activists demand that the positive conclusion on the EIA project be  invalidated, since it was adopted with legislative violations, and  the document itself contains problems and shortcomings. Earlier, the  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) announced the  completion of its participation in the project for the development of  the Amulsar field. 

ArmInfo.. On August 20 in the evening, a protest action of green activists started in front of the RA Government against the development of the Amulsar mine. Earlier, protesters marched along the central streets of Yerevan; residents of  the city of Jermuk, who moved towards the capital this afternoon,  also joined them.

The main demand of the protesters is to invalidate the draft EIA  (environmental impact assessment). For over two years now, Jermuk  residents have been closing the approaches to the mine, since the  development of the mine can have an extremely negative effect on the  ecology of Jermuk, which was granted the status of a health resort  city during the Soviet era. In addition, with the positive conclusion  of the EIA, numerous risks were not taken into account, including for  the Kechut reservoir and the Sevan basin.

Ecologist Levon Galstyan emphasized that the fight against the  development of Amulsar has been ongoing since 2012. Earlier, the  Armenian government promised to reconsider its position on Amulsar if  the fears of environmentalists are confirmed by the results of an  international study. By order of the Government of the Republic of  Armenia, the corresponding study was carried out in 2019 by Elard,  which then noted in its conclusion that it is impossible to clearly  answer the question regarding the safe development of the Amulsar  mine with the available documentation. “All the problems raised  earlier by ecologists were confirmed by the study of Elard,” Galstyan  said.

The protesters had posters with the following requirements: ” As long  as we exist, there are no mines,”, “Close the mines – save lives”.  Jermuk residents demand a final solution to the problem, noting that  their actions have no political overtones, but their desire is not to  allow the city-resort to turn into a city mine.  They also note that  they will continue their actions to protect Amulsar, including by  blocking the roads leading to the mine by cars. Arman Khachatryan, a  participant in the road trip, also said that the security  organization of Lydian Armenia today tried to use violence against  the citizens who blocked the road to the mine.

The total cost of the Amulsar project is $ 370 million. The life of  the deposit is 10 years and 4 months, with an average annual  production of 200 thousand ounces of gold planned. To note, Lydian  Armenia is a subsidiary of the British offshore Lydian International.  Environmentalists and ordinary citizens are concerned that the  development of the mine may lead to the pollution of the mineral  underground waters of Jermuk and Lake Sevan. In addition to the water  basin, the public is also concerned about the possible presence of  uranium manifestations at the deposit. Environmentalists and  activists demand that the positive conclusion on the EIA project be  invalidated, since it was adopted with legislative violations, and  the document itself contains problems and shortcomings. Earlier, the  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) announced the  completion of its participation in the project for the development of  the Amulsar mine.

ArmInfo. “Kalashnikov” Concern has begun deliveries of AK-12 assault rifles to neighboring countries, said the general director of the concern Dmitry Tarasov,  quoted by RIA Novosti.

He did not specify the countries he was talking about. Meanwhile,  according to the source, the former head of the concern, Vladimir  Dmitriev, previously reported that the first country to purchase the  AK-12 would be Armenia.

AK-12 is a new platform on the basis of which it is planned to  produce military and civilian weapons of various calibers. AK-12 was  adopted by the Russian army at the end of 2018.

Earlier, ArmInfo reported on the organization in Armenia of an  enterprise for the assembly of AK- 103 assault rifles. The RA Prime  Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the plant ®n July 7.

The Prime Minister was presented with third-generation optical sights  and domestically produced thermal imaging cameras, which, after  appropriate tests, will be transferred to the arsenal of the Armenian  army within a year.

The head of the enterprise, Igor Gordienko, presented to the prime  minister a model of the industrial zone of the scientific and  production association “Neutron”, located in the city of Abovyan,  Kotayk region of the Republic of Armenia. As he said, the zone  consists of four blocks: cartridge production on an area of about 14  thousand square meters with production volumes of up to 150 million  cartridges per year; production of overhaul of automotive equipment  with equity participation of Remdizel JSC and the KAMAZ concern with  a volume of about 120 units per year; production for the repair of  armored vehicles also with the participation of the joint-stock  company “Remdizel” and the concern KAMAZ with a volume of 100 units  per year.

According to the head of the enterprise, at the second and third  stages, it is planned to assemble weapons with a volume of 50  thousand pieces per year. The representative of the plant said that  all equipment for the plant has already been ordered and is at the  production stage, and is being purchased from enterprises with which  the company works on an ongoing basis. It was also reported that it  is planned to open at least 1,200 jobs at the plant, and this only at  the first stage, and with the involvement of narrow specialists, and  the management staff will be staffed with officers with extensive  experience in the field of production and technology. According to  him, two buildings of “Neutron” are at the completion stage, issues  related to the territories are being resolved and by the end of the  year, all work will be completed.

Then the prime minister was told about the mechanical components of  the Osa-AKM air defense missile system, the preparation of training  models for organizing training of military personnel on them. Then,  Pashinyan got acquainted with the assembled AK-103.

The contract for the supply of components for the organization of the  phased assembly of AK-103 assault rifles in Armenia was concluded on  the basis of the corresponding decision of the Federal State Tax  Service of Russia on May 15, 2020. According to the plan, the  production of Kalashnikov AK-103 assault rifles in Armenia started in  the first decade of this year, the production license is calculated  for 10 years. -l-