Heritage leader slams violations in Armenia’s mining industryDecember 25, 2012 - 13:43 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Heritage party leader Raffi Hovannisian has issued a statement slamming the violations in mining industry in Armenia. “By now it is clear that the rise of big mining in Armenia has been not a project of the national interest but a privilege of the chosen few, who have amassed fantastic fortunes while our country descends into poverty and despair. In recent years we have witnessed grave violations under the guise of eminent domain, the destruction of historical monuments, and the obliteration of vast, prospering ecosystems. In place of lush forests, lakes of hazardous toxic waste cover Armenia. Our homeland is being poisoned,” the statement reads. “The time for change has come. Today we must stand together to demand: 1) the reevaluation of all mining licenses in Armenia—including the license issued to the open mine at Teghut, the great forest of the Lori region; 2) the suspension of all pending licenses, in anticipation of a comprehensive and multi-faceted parliamentary investigation into the legality and transparency of the licensing process; and 3) the redrafting of the environmental code and the tax code to ensure that, in the future, national resources are extracted only with due regard for the environment and to the benefit of the entire Armenian people. We the people wholeheartedly support Armenia’s economic development, but that will happen in earnest only when rights rule, the environment commands respect, and the rank-and-file citizen rises to become master of his homeland,” the statement further says. Top stories The Cabinet of Ministers decided on Thursday, November 9 to allocated AMD 120 million to arrange the gathering. Michael Roth believes sanctions must be put on the table after Baku‘s ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Yerevan City Council has elected Tigran Avniyan from the ruling Civil Contract as the mayor of the Armenian capital. The Armenian Parliament on Tuesday, October 3 voted to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Partner news | European Parliament to discuss repression in Azerbaijan The European Parliament will discuss repression of civil society in Azerbaijan on April 24 PACE wants concessions from Azerbaijan to accept Baku back A PACE co-rapporteur said that Azerbaijani authorities must make certain concessions so that the country can return to PACE. Cyprus parliament honors Armenian genocide victims Acting House President Zacharias Koulias noted that April 24 marks the “black anniversary” of the Armenian genocide. Azerbaijan razes historic Armenian church to ground Azerbaijan has demolished the historic Armenian Church of St. John the Baptist (known as Kanach Zham). |