Nairit chemical plant employees stage rally, promised solution

 July 10, 2014 - 18:55 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Nairit chemical plant employees staged a protest rally outside the Armenian government building, Armenian media reported.

The protesters were demanding to be played their wages for 18 months, also expressing concern over the plant’s future.

Before the start of the regular Cabinet meeting Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan came down to meet the protesters. He reportedly told them that the issue was “at the stage of examination”. The head of the government reportedly asked the Nairit workers to set up a group of 20 whom he would receive after the Cabinet session to discuss the matter in detail.

As, the demonstrators stated later, quoting the official, the fate of the plant will be resolved by September 15, with the issue to be discussed with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and the July 11 meeting in Sochi.

In February, Russian ambassador Ivan Volynkin stated that Rosneft is seriously considering construction of a rubber plant in Armenia.

Nairit was the only plant in the Soviet Union producing chloroprene rubber. The plant was closed in 1989 for environmental reasons and partially resumed operations in 1992. In 2006, 90% of Nairit’s shares were sold to British Rainoville Property Limited for $40 million. The remaining 10% belong to the Armenian government. The plant's operations were suspended in 2010.