Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine Retreats from Initial Intentions

Host Gohar Hayrapetyan wrote on her Facebook page:

“First of all, let me express my deep gratitude to all the organizations, lawyers, environmentalists, journalists, and our many compatriots living in Armenia and abroad who supported me and 1in.am ‘First News’. Letters have been received from Yerevan, Kapan, Kajaran, Syunik, and abroad. New details have emerged, revealing numerous violations.

In just a few hours, the unity shown by society forced the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine to retreat from its initial intentions, realizing what ‘tailings dump’ situation it had found itself in. As the tailings dump in Artsvanik is already filled to capacity, the combine has applied for land allocation to create a new tailings dump. This means new seized lands, new illnesses, and new unborn children.

Hours ago, the statement issued by the combine clarified that the company had never intended to go to court, and the measures taken, including hiring a lawyer, were merely aimed at receiving a denial.

Nevertheless… all this would be meaningless if we do not continue our struggle to transform a resource-rich state into a value-adding state. I suggest that all concerned initiatives, individuals, forces, and circles organize a meeting soon to discuss further actions and steps. I propose to hold a meeting in the next 15 days in Yerevan, Kajaran, or even Artsvanik.

The mines are still savagely extracting our subsoil, persistently digging into the graves of our impoverished fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and children in various regions of our homeland.

Today’s small victory was made possible solely due to our unity because we believed that we have no homeland to share with the excavators, those who exploit the land and gift us a tailings dump. And so, let’s get to work…

Thank you to everyone, without exception.”