The Government Has No Justified Grounds. ‘Lydian Armenia’ Issues Statement

‘Lydian Armenia’ has issued a statement indicating that the Government has no justified grounds to demand a new phase of inquiries regarding the Amulsar project, as no similar demands have been made of other companies in Armenia.

The statement highlights that all questions regarding the environmental impact of the Amulsar project have received comprehensive answers. The Armenian government must protect the rights of thousands of citizens in Armenia who have suffered greatly due to the illegal blockage of roads related to the Amulsar project, resulting in significant social and economic difficulties.

Below is the full statement from ‘Lydian Armenia’:

“On March 12, the Prime Minister of Armenia announced that the Government intends to initiate a new phase regarding inquiries on the environmental impact of the Amulsar project, with 154 questions that will be presented to the interested parties for their comments. Over the past 21 months, ‘Lydian’ has lost more than 119 million USD while dedicating significant time and resources to responding to countless queries raised during at least three complete environmental assessments and expert examinations of the Amulsar project.”

The government has no justified grounds to demand a new phase of inquiries regarding the Amulsar project, as no similar demands have been made of other companies in Armenia.

The Prime Minister has repeatedly stated that:
- The previous environmental examinations of the Amulsar project have provided answers to the questions;
- There is no legal basis for suspending ‘Lydian’s’ activities;
- There is no legal basis for requesting a new Environmental Impact Assessment from ‘Lydian’;
- ‘Lydian’ has confirmed that it will comply with all stated environmental management standards;
- ‘Lydian’ is the best in terms of environmental management in Armenia’s mining sector;
- The campaign against the company is funded by competitors aiming to disrupt ‘Lydian’s’ activities;
- There will be a requirement for compliance with ‘Lydian’s’ level of environmental management in Armenia’s mining sector and to pay for it;
- The suspension of the Amulsar project would be discriminatory against ‘Lydian’ and negatively affect Armenia’s investment attractiveness;
- It is in the interest of the state to allow ‘Lydian’ to operate;
- Those blocking the roads must unblock them.”

This has been stated publicly by the Prime Minister on various occasions. In the past year, several court rulings have reaffirmed ‘Lydian’s’ right of access, instructing relevant authorities to ensure ‘Lydian’s’ rights, and also qualifying the actions of certain state officials as biased against ‘Lydian’. All questions regarding the environmental impact of the Amulsar project have received comprehensive answers, which cannot be said for the numerous unanswered questions regarding the actions and inactions of the Armenian government towards 'Lydian' and the Amulsar project.

The Armenian government must ensure fair and equal competitive conditions for ‘Lydian’, uphold the rule of law, and protect not only the legal rights of ‘Lydian’ and its investors but also the rights of the thousands of citizens in Armenia who have suffered significantly due to the illegal blockage of roads related to the Amulsar project, and continue to face enormous social and economic hardships due to this prolonged injustice.