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The Armenian government’s decision to restart mining operations at the Amulsar gold deposit near the spa town of Jermuk without taking into account the public opinion runs counter to the Aarhus Convention, claims lawyer Ruzanna Ghazaryan, President of the Dalma-Sona Foundation.

In an interview to Panorama.am, she stressed the Amulsar gold mine development poses high risks of water contamination and adverse environmental impacts, affecting the whole Armenian population.

Armenia’s Ministry of Economy, the Eurasian Development Bank and Lydian Armenia, a subsidiary of the U.S.-British Lydian International, on February 22 signed a memorandum for $250 million to complete construction work at the Amulsar gold mine and purchase the necessary equipment.

The U.S. and Canadian investors have granted the Armenian government a 12.5% stake in the project in return for its pledge to manage the risks.

Ecologists and local residents have fought against the Amulsar mining project for over ten years, warning the operation of the mine would put Armenia’s entire water resources and the people’s health at risk.

Ghazaryan believes the Amulsar gold mine project will eventually be stopped due to strong public opposition to it.

“The people will simply not allow it [the mine development]. Until a final decision is made, the government must back down and stop this process because it will lead to severe consequences,” the lawyer stressed.

Also, she says the fears are now compounded by the presence of Azerbaijani troops just a few kilometers away from Jermuk.

“The government has no right to hand over the subsoil, the property owned by the people to others without taking into account their opinion,” the lawyer said, stressing the risks of the Amulsar mine exploitation cannot be managed.

“Amulsar is a touchstone for the Armenian people today; if we fail to protect our mountain now, the consequences will be devastating," Ghazaryan stated.