Ministry Clarifies Issues Regarding Permission for 'Sevan Startup Summit 2021'

The Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia has provided clarifications regarding the issues that arose around the permission for the 'Seaside Startup Summit'. According to Armenpress, the ministry's clarification states that the holding of the 'Seaside Startup Summit' was permitted under strict restrictions, which did not satisfy the representatives of the 'Startup Armenia' foundation.

In response to a statement issued by the 'Seaside Startup Summit', indicating that this year’s summit is canceled due to the lack of space provided by the relevant authority, it is necessary to clarify. Three letters were addressed to the Ministry of Environment by the 'Startup Armenia' foundation. In response to the first letter, the ministry suggested considering the public beach of the park adjacent to the seaside community or the territory of the public beach of Drahktik for organizing the 'Sevan Startup Summit 2021'. However, they declined and mentioned in another letter that they wished to organize it in the area adjacent to the 'Norasheni' reserve of the 'Sevan' National Park.

The creation purpose of the Norasheni reserve and protected area is to ensure natural conditions necessary for the birds, particularly the Armenian endemic species of the nightingale, as well as unprotected birds that are regularly encountered during the nesting period in the Norasheni protected area. The Armenian nightingale primarily nests in the areas adjacent to the reserve and the islands related to it. In recent years (2019-2020), due to rising water levels in Lake Sevan and limited human entry into the reserve and protected area due to the pandemic and martial law in 2020, the nesting areas of birds have changed, and they have started nesting in the coastal land areas of the reserve and protected area. Due to reduced human impact, the number and species of unprotected birds have also increased in recent years.

The organizers submitted another letter requesting a review of the decision and provided detailed information about the organizational and preparatory work for the event, including the assembly and disassembly timelines. They mentioned the entry of 10,000 invited guests and visitors, the assembly and disassembly work planned for the event (64 days), setting up 600 tents, 2 stages, and 40 bio-toilets, as well as audio and lighting arrangements.

In response, the ministry stated that conducting such a long-duration large-scale event for 'Sevan Startup Summit 2021' would completely undermine the protection of the reserve and protected area implemented by the Public Utility Agency, that such arrangements would severely disrupt the natural living conditions of both nesting and residing birds in the area, and would endanger the population of the Armenian nightingale. The ministry also noted that such human pressure in a specially protected area would lead to public negative reactions and create problems regarding the enforcement of restrictions established by law for organizing public events in the protected areas.

The ministry indicates that after detailed discussions on the matter and taking into account the importance of the event, the organizers were granted permission to hold the event at that location, but with several restrictions due to the legal regulation of the protected regime and protected areas of the RA, which they have also declined, citing that an event anticipating around 10,000 participants cannot be conducted under such restrictions.

“We regret that the organizers have decided to cancel the summit. The proposal to hold the event at another location under the management of the Sevan National Park, which does not have the status of a reserve or protected area, remains valid,” the statement concluded.