Video: Residents of Margahovit Village Protest Against Opening of Copper Mine

Residents of Margahovit village in Lori province staged a protest in the morning against the opening of a copper mine in their area. The project affects five villages in the province, including Margahovit.

The community has been presented with a project package regarding the mine, and today public hearings are scheduled in Margahovit, which the villagers plan to boycott.

In a conversation with the villagers, Vazgen Khachikyan, a former head of the Social Security Service and a former Republican Party member who was convicted of embezzling service funds, stated that it would be a closed mine without a tailings dump, as processing up to half a million tons of ore cannot be conducted through a tailings system.

In response to allegations that he may have a stake in the project, he denied any ownership, asserting that he is only providing paid work. Khachikyan indicated that the mine will be located 20 kilometers away from Margahovit and mentioned that the owners are Czech citizens.

Former Deputy Governor of Lori, Gayane Sargsyan, also declared that, as a former official, she is against any mining operations in Lori province.