ArmInfo. "If the Amulsar issue were initiated under my rule, I would not allow the start of the project," Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan told a live on his Facebook page on a commentary on one of the users of the social network that if Pashinyan was an oppositionist, he would oppose the exploitation of the Amulsar deposit.
His statement was conditioned by the fact that he considers it absurd to form a mining branch in the territory of one of the health centers of Armenia. However, according to the statement of the head of government, the current situation is inherited from the former authorities, and it is impossible to implement any steps without having a de jure rationale. <We are told <go and close the deposit>. I.e? Would you like to close the project without any justification? Permissiveness begins with this. Today, at the will of the prime minister, we close Amulsar, the next day some factory, then one of the publications, after which we will move on to people and so on? The prime minister cannot come and just close the deposit. I hope you do not expect this from me. I am concerned about the situation in Amoulsar primarily from an environmental point of view, and I do not understand the logic of the former authorities that granted a license to operate the field in Jermuk, "Pashinyan said.
In his statement, the prime minister also noted that the Amulsar issue will be decided solely in accordance with the letter of the law and the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia. "Otherwise, we will go along the wrong road and bring Armenia to a difficult situation," he stressed. At the same time, Pashinyan said that
The environmental inspectorate is currently conducting research on the deposit site.
In conclusion, the prime minister said: "I am seriously concerned about the Amulsar issue, and I hope we will find a solution. I'm sorry that the company did not show a constructive approach, at least during my visit to Amoulsar.
Lydian Armenia is a subsidiary of British Lydian International, whose shareholders are also large international institutional investors from the United States, Great Britain, a number of European countries, including EBRD. The Amulsar project is the largest industrial project in Armenia for the development of the Amulsar gold deposit at a total cost of $ 370 million. In August 2016, a project for the construction and development of the field was launched. Preliminary work has been carried out since 2006. The life of the Amulsar deposit will be 10 years and 4 months, an annual average of 200,000 ounces of gold (about 10 million tons of ore) is planned. The company's shares are quoted on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Amulsar deposit is the second largest in Armenia.