Green activists criticize Armenian president's PR-agents

• Friday, February 1, 09:59

Green activists have criticized PR-agents of the Armenian president.  Talking to ArmInfo, a lawyer, a member of Trchkan inititive, Mary Khachatryan said that on threshold of the presidential election, the authorities are  making Black PR. "Can problems such as leasing of pastures in Syunik to Iran or
project of construction of cyanide plant in Meghradzor emerge in the pre-election period?  I cannot understand, how the PR-agents of the president work? Maybe they like protest actions in front of the presidential residence," the lawyer said.

Residents of the village of Meghradzor organized a picket in front of the president's residence in Yerevan on Jan 25.  The villagers were protesting against construction of a cyanic plant in Meghradzor.  They say project does not reckon with the fact that the area is earthquake-prone. The project lacks data on the radioactive elements and a map of the uranium and thorium. In addition, it does not reckon with possible pollution of soil, water and air in case of emergencies. Meghradzor Gold Company, in turn, says the project bears no environmental risks due to closed cycle production.

The civil initiative "Trchkan" has addressed an open letter to Secretary of Armenia's National Security Council, Artur Bagdasaryan, and Director of National Security Service, Gorik Hakopyan.  They were displeased with the information disseminated in mass media according to which a memorandum was signed between Armenia and Iran and Iran may rent pastures in Syunik region of Armenia to tend cattle.  The initiative asked Bagdasaryan and Hakopyan if signing of the memorandum  does not threat national security of Armenia. The activists also called on the Armenian government not to take similar decisions without taking into consideration the viewpoint of the people.

Talking to ArmInfo today on January 31, Arthur Baghdasaryan said that the news on lease of pastures to the Iranian party does not correspond to reality.