Metallic Mining Industry Banned in Yeghgnadzor

Yeghgnadzor has joined the communities that have rejected metallic mining. This was announced by the All-Armenian Environmental Front.

In the statement, it is specifically mentioned:

“On May 23, 2019, the Yeghgnadzor community council adopted a decision to approve the proposal presented by the community residents to make the community an eco-economic territory and to ban metallic mining in the community. The decision was passed with 6 votes in favor, 1 against, and 1 abstention. The statement reads as follows:

“Guided by point 42 of part 1 of Article 18 of the Law on Local Self-Governance of the Republic of Armenia, paragraph 3 of part 1 of Article 4 of the Law on Referendums of the Republic of Armenia, following the provisions of part 3 of Article 184 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, and based on the principles of local self-governance as formulated in Article 8 of the Law on Local Self-Governance, taking into account the petition presented by more than 2,500 residents of Yeghgnadzor community:

1. To consent to the proposal mentioned in the collective petition titled “On making the Yeghgnadzor community an eco-economic territory and banning metallic mining in the community,” submitted to the community leader and council by community residents on May 3, 2019.
2. This decision comes into force on the day following its publication.”

It should be noted that on May 3, residents of Yeghgnadzor submitted a collective petition to the community leader and council. The petition was backed by the signatures of approximately 2,500 citizens, who requested and demanded:

1. To adopt a decision that prohibits and excludes the implementation of exploratory work, and especially the exploitation of deposits related to metallic mining within the administrative territory of the Yeghgnadzor community and, in general, throughout Vayots Dzor region.
2. Involving community members, to develop a comprehensive program for the ecological viability and green economic development of the Yeghgnadzor community and Vayots Dzor region, for the implementation of which we are ready to support the state administration and local self-governing bodies of the Republic of Armenia.

It is recalled that prior to this, the initiative to prohibit metallic mining in their natural environments was undertaken by another four Armenian communities: in the spring of 2018, by Novoberdo, in the autumn of 2018, by Jermuk, in April 2019, by Gladzor, and in May 2019, by Areni. The councils of those communities have also confirmed their citizens' will through corresponding decisions.