Amulsar Update

Briefing    |    23 August 2019

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Blockade of the Amulsar mine site and civil society protests and marches are on-going. In the last week of August Armenian civil society groups have issued appeals to foreign diplomatic services in Armenia and to Amulsar’s investors calling for further assessments, support to democratic process and divestment from the project.  There are concerns about the oppressive methods that the new Armenian government would need to resort to, in order to forcefully open access to the mine site an restart the project development. Several protesters were arrested last week and key environmental advocates are facing various investigations for their involvement, posts in social media etc.

CEE  Bankwatch Network echos the calls of Armenian civil society for revoking the EIA permit for the mine and starting supplementary ESIA for the Amulsar project in parallel to wide formal public consultations. Currently Lydian lacks a social licence to operate, so the project development needs to be put on hold. Pressure from investors needs to stop until the democratic processes run their course and the on-going investigations are concluded. The EBRD should stand by high environmental standards for people in Armenia and human rights values” and support the democratic transition Armenia.