Forest Coverage Areas Near Lake Sevan to Increase

Armenia's National Assembly MP Varazdat Karapetyan announced on his Facebook page that on September 18, a working discussion took place in the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture and Environmental Issues, focusing on the challenges faced by Lake Sevan's ecosystem.

“We continue our work aimed at restoring Lake Sevan. It is particularly important to regulate fishing in a way that does not harm nature while respecting those who are engaged in fishing. In the near future, we will discuss the issue of fishing separately,” he wrote.

During the September 18 meeting, representatives from governmental bodies and the public sector had previously identified key issues facing Lake Sevan three months prior. Today, the matters were discussed in the parliament with the participation of committee members, representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Gegarkunik Regional Administration, and other interested organizations. Among the issues raised were the rapid rise in water levels, fishery industry concerns, fishing regulations, and cleaning operations for coastal areas and forests.

As noted by the committee’s chairman Varazdat Karapetyan, the proposed directions will remain at the center of parliamentary oversight. According to him, the working meeting will allow for the submission of specific funding requests related to Lake Sevan's problems during the preliminary discussions of the 2020 state budget.

During the discussion, Deputy Minister of Environment Vardan Melikyan stated that the restoration process of Lake Sevan's ecosystem has already begun. The work commenced with the cleaning of the coastal forest zone. The Deputy Minister emphasized that the program will last around three years, adding that forest coverage areas will also be expanded during this period.