Why Sotal's Open-Pit Mine Workers Have Been Laid Off: Gegharkunik Governor Responds

Sotal's open-pit mine workers have been laid off, and the mine is operating partially. This was stated by Gegharkunik Governor Karen Saroyan in an interview with 24News.

According to him, the workers have issues and have submitted a written request to him, which he has forwarded to the Minister of Economy of Armenia. “We will discuss how we can address these issues with the minister in the near future,” he said.

The governor noted that the workers claimed that working in the open-pit mine was not particularly beneficial for them at this moment, and they are currently working in the closed mine. “We have solved the employment issue for a very small portion of the workers, but we still have quite a few problems,” he revealed.

Speaking about providing housing for those forcibly displaced from Artsakh in the region, Saroyan mentioned that these issues have been addressed, but there are individuals with mental health problems for whom work is also being done.