ArmInfo.The Armenian Government approved the draft decision at today's session, according to which a land property will be allocated to Hrazdan community in Kotayk region without charge for a solid waste landfill construction.
According to the Minister of Territorial Administration and Development of Armenia Suren Papikyan the decision is a result of obligations taken by Armenia in the framework of an agreement signed with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. According to the agreement Armenia is obliged to provide a land property for the construction of a solid waste landfill in Hrazdan. The landfill will serve inhabitants of 12 communities of Kotayk and Gegharkunik regions. The total cost of the program is 11 mln EUR, 5.5 mln EUR of which are loan funds and the remaining 5.5 mln is a grant.
To recall, earlier the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environmental Partnership (E5P) fund ruled by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) co-financed the construction of a new landfill for solid waste for the Gegharkunik and Kotayk regions with a EUR 2 million grant. The relevant agreement was signed by E5P and the Finance Ministry of Armenia on June 30, 2016.
The activities within the program launched in December 2014. The EBRD committed a EUR 3.5 million loan, which was complemented by a EUR 3.5 million grant provided by the EU Neighbourhood Investment Facility. The EU-compliant solid-waste management system will cover eight municipalities, seven in Kotayk and one in Gegharkunik.
The project was expanded in 2016 with an additional EUR 2 million sovereign loan from the EBRD, due to which all seven municipalities in Kotayk (Hrazdan, Abovyan, Nor Hachn, Byureghavan, Charentsavan, Eghvard, Tsakhadzor) and all five municipalities in Gegharkunik (Sevan, Vardenis, Gavar, Martuni, Chambarak) were included in the project. The E5P grant of EUR 2 million will complement the additional EUR 2 million EBRD loan and co-finance transfer stations, waste collection and transfer trucks, waste containers and other specialized equipment.
The total cost of the project is EUR 11 million.