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The Union of Miners and Metallurgists of Armenia on Saturday issued a statement regarding the strike of Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC) employees. The union, which includes ZCMC, Teghut, Lydian Armenia, GeoProMining and others, expressed concern over the unauthorized strike and the situation in the company company.

More than 700 ZCMC employees have gone on strike since Friday morning, demanding a pay rise and better working conditions.

The statement condemned the strike as unlawful and called for resolving the issues through constructive dialogue while immediately restoring the normal operations of Armenia's largest taxpayer.

Notably, environmental activists have remained silent in recent days, citing fears of legal action against them by mining companies. A DataLex system search reveals numerous lawsuits filed by the union's organizations against activists and media outlets.

“Every time we speak out, we risk facing a lawsuit. We don’t have the time, energy or resources to fight legal battles,” a source told Panorama.am, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Earlier, Panorama.am had covered the issue.

Last year, nearly 30 organizations issued a joint statement warning of sustained pressure on environmental activists, organizations, human rights defenders and affected communities opposing harmful mining projects in Armenia. They condemned the reckless and aggressive campaign against environmental efforts as a blow to democracy.