Red Book Listed Water Lilies Sold on Yerevan Streets

The Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia is alarmed that water lilies listed in the Red Book of Armenia are being sold on the streets of Yerevan. Additionally, photos showing the disturbance of ecological systems are being circulated online by hikers and tourists.

“We urge citizens, hikers, and tour guides involved in domestic tourism to treat this unique beauty of nature with the utmost care and responsibility, especially since it is registered in the Red Book of Armenia and is regulated by Armenian legislation,” stated the press release from the ministry.

The environmental agency also warns that any actions contributing to the destruction of species registered in the Red Book are subject to administrative penalties. According to Article 93 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Armenia, the unauthorized collection of plants registered in the Red Book, or their roots, flowers, and fruits, results in a fine for citizens amounting to eighty times the minimum wage (80,000 AMD), and for officials, the fine amounts to one hundred times (150,000 AMD).