Forest Genocide: Approximately 1.5 Hectares of Green Space Destroyed at the Beginning of the Sevan-Gavar Highway

Facebook user Ara Arayan alerts on his page that approximately 1.5 hectares of forest have been destroyed at the beginning of the Sevan-Gavar highway. The user specifically notes:

“Please spread the word: we are surprised by tree cutting and felling in Yerevan, while at the Sevan shore, in the territory of Sevan National Park, at the beginning of the Sevan-Gavar highway, approximately 1.5 hectares of FOREST has been completely destroyed. Bulldozers and tractors have uprooted the pines, birches, and other tree species, under the guise of ‘cleaning the area from bushes’. This is unabashed forest genocide in broad daylight!”

“Sevan City Hall, this is within the administrative territory of Sevan community. Are you aware of the land leveling or construction permits granted? Is there an approved project? Have community hearings taken place?”

“Gegharkunik Regional Administration, this is on your territory, on your daily route. How many times have you passed through this section in the last 1-2 months? Did you see nothing?”

“Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia, this is the ‘brilliant’ public beach number 5 awarded through a contest at Lchashen. Hakob Simidyan, you should know.”

“Is there an environmental impact assessment? A few hundred meters from this area, a new ecosystem has just formed, new bird species have settled here, and you had no right to cut even a branch.”

“Sevan National Park, have you signed a contract with Ilona Harutyunyan, who won the contest for the 5th public beach by Lchashen? This genocide has been carried out with your machinery.”

“State Control Service of Armenia, Romanos Petrosyan, this is a continuation of the ‘good’ traditions around public beaches.”

“We remember the history of Sevan’s city beach, which, after an investment of $350,000, has become comparable to Miami Beach. They want to see those wrought-iron gazebos too…”

“Nikol Pashinyan, how many times have these public beaches been reported in government meetings? At least TWICE, I have heard it myself.”

“This is the state of the apparatus and management system; this is true treachery against the Republic of Armenia. Mr. Pashinyan, is your friend Simidyan Hakob of greater value than Armenia’s NATURE?”

“Residents of Lchashen, Sevan, and people of Gegharkunik, how many times have you passed this road in the last two months? Did you see nothing?”

“They say Aliyev wants Sevan, threatens. This is the state of Sevan, which is our country’s last hope and most precious value. You pollute it, defecate in it, and you feed off the lake's resources as 1.5 hectares of forest are completely destroyed right before your eyes.”

“Some foreign tribes, having invaded Armenia, have cut down forests to clear land for sheep grazing, depriving indigenous people of their means of living; that’s why our mountains are barren and dry. All criminals who have cut down forests will be held accountable.”

“For now, this is all. Let the aforementioned government agencies prove that there was no forest there, but only bushes.”

“I await a response. For the police, the prosecutor's office, consider this a report of a crime. If nothing is found, do not trust Google; let me remind you that Armenia has its own satellite, and satellite images from the past two months must exist.”

“If that fails, I will personally refer to international commercial satellite companies, paying from my own pocket, and obtain high-quality images.”

“Currently, the machinery of Sevan National Park is in the area.”