ArmInfo. The adoption of the Strategy for the Development of the Mining Industry of Armenia is an important step in the development of the mining industry, as it will make it possible the industry to meet international standards. Hovhannes Harutyunyan, Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures of the Republic of Armenia, stated on June 27 during discussions organized by the Economic Journalists Club.
He noted that the work on the development of the Strategy was preceded by numerous discussions and studies. Emphasizing the importance of the mining industry in the development of the country's economy, the Deputy Minister at the same time stated that the document would allow assessing and preventing possible risks associated with the environment and the impact on the health of residents of communities located near the mines. In this regard, it is planned to pursue new standards corresponding to international standards. The adoption of the Strategy will also make it possible to have a predictable field for attracting investments. Currently, large projects are being implemented in the republic, such as the construction of the North-South Road Corridor, reservoirs and other facilities, which also require compliance with modern international standards.
In turn, Executive Director of "Lydian Armenia" company Hayk Alumyan noted that the enterprises of the mining industry faced the problem of appreciation of the national currency, the dram. Of the 44 polymetallic mines, licenses for their development have been issued to 13 companies, of which only 7 are currently operating. "Companies supply concentrate to international markets, receive a currency that devalues in the domestic market of the republic. As a result, some of these companies were unable to cope with the problem," the executive director of Lydian Armenia CJSC emphasized, pointing out the importance of legislative regulation of the sector.
Meanwhile, according to Armen Stepanyan, development director of the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine, investments in the industry should not become an end in itself. It is very important that the investments are effective and that the standards being developed are predictable.
It should be noted that at the meeting on May 11, the Government of the Republic of Armenia approved the Strategy for the Development of the Mining Industry and the action plan arising from it until 2035. The Strategy defines three goals: creation and maintenance of a unified digital information database of geological data, effective decision-making in the field of subsoil use and nature protection, compliance with international standards and approaches in the field.
At the same meeting, RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that the mining industry should manage environmental risks as efficiently as possible, should be as close as possible to the best world standards>, the RA Prime Minister emphasized.
