Issue of copper smelting plant in Alaverdi will be resolved in  context of sustainable development of the Lori region 

ArmInfo. The Armenian government intends to resolve the issue of the  copper smelting plant in Alaverdi in the context of the sustainable development of the Lori region, in  accordance with the requirements for environmental protection.

The press secretary of the Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Vahan  Hunanyan told ArmInfo correspondent about this.  On the eve of the  regular meeting Acting Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan and  Chairman of the ''Vallex'' group Valery Mejlumyan. During the  meeting, the proposals of the owner of the Alaverdi copper-smelting  plant were discussed. The parties also touched upon the program of  building a new plant based on Chinese investments that would meet  modern standards for environmentally safe copper production. "The  main concern of the government today is connected with the solution  of social problems of the residents of the region, namely, providing  them with jobs, and strict observance of environmental legislation,"  said the spokesman for the Deputy Prime Minister. Namely, the  government will work towards attracting new investments, implementing  new programs to open new jobs and sustainable development of  regional, urban and rural communities of the Lori region. Other  details about the outcome of the meeting and possible arrangements  are not reported.

Meanwhile, as ''Vallex''employee Garegin Antashyan told the ArmInfo  correspondent, during the meeting, solutions were given to the  environmental problems of the enterprise. How did the interlocutor  ArmInfo abstain from calling because "he does not have the details".  Oleg Dulgaryan, a member of the ''SOS Alaverdi initiative'', told  ArmInfo that currently the employees of the Alaverdi copper smelting  plant are refraining from any actions in anticipation of clearer  information on the outcome of the meeting.  To recoll as it was said  before in the official statement of the ''Vallex'' group of  companies.On October 19, the work of the Alaverdi copper smelter was  suspended - the 4th time during its 250-year history.The main cause  of environmental problems, that is, violations of permissible  standards for emissions of sulfur dioxide by the enterprise, as a  result of which the company was fined and ordered to reduce emissions  by 90% until December 25 of the current year. In addition, ''Vallex''  announced financial problems with VTB Bank. It was reported that in  order to build a mining complex in Teghout, VTB Bank, in exchange for  the loans provided, demanded that the assets and shares of ACP be  pledged to provide a loan, along with other guarantees. However, the  legal processes related to the realization of Bach's pledge of rights  to property have not yet been implemented.

Meanwhile, the other day in an interview with the TV channel "Angle  Plus Three" affiliated with ''Vallex'', director of the plant in  Alaverdi Lusine Mejlumian called on the company's employees to be  vigilant, saying that Teghut "and if with the help of the government  it is not possible to resolve the issue with the copper smelter, the  plant also expects the same fate. As the director pointed out, Vallex  unfoundedly trusted the bank. In addition, Lusine Mejlumyan once  again stated that it is practically impossible to follow the  requirements of environmentalists. "We have never concealed that we  exceed the permissible emission threshold, since there is no other  opportunity to work," she said, noting that in recent years the  company did not make serious investments, and those that were made  were only to keep production power in operation.  To recall the  company is axial for the region and in the event of its closure,  about 630 people will remain without work and livelihood.  Nevertheless, as environmentalists say, the work of the plant in its  current form is fraught with environmental consequences and problems  for the health of the inhabitants of the region.  To note ''Vallex  Group'' (Vallex Group) was established in 1998 and unites 20  subsidiary and affiliated companies. Among them, Teghut CJSC, founded  in May 2006, 100% of the shares of CJSC belong to Teghut Investments  Limited of Cyprus, 100% of which voting shares in turn belong to  Armenian Kopr Program CJSC, which is fully owned by Valery Mejlumyan,  and also CJSC Base Metals, which operates a copper-gold deposit in  the village of Drmbon, Martakert region, NKR, Armenian Copper Program  CJSC (ACP), which operates the Alaverdi Copper Smelter.