The Government has approved the Strategy for the Development of the Mining Sector and the resulting Action Plan (until 2035). It is noteworthy that it is the first in the history of the 3rd Republic.
RA Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Hovhannes Harutyunyan stated in the interview with Iravaban.net that the strategy outlines the short-term, medium-term and long-term directions of the development of the mining industry in the RA, the mechanisms of regulation and development of the sector, rational and complex use of the subsoil, management and mitigation of environmental and health risks, proportional/fair distribution of income are defined.
“The most important and global thing is the application of new international standards of environmental, labor, and social protection in the Republic of Armenia, which is our benchmark goal,” the Deputy Minister said.
The strategy defines 3 main goals: creation and management of a unified digital information database of geology, effective decision-making in the field of subsoil use and protection, application of international standards and approaches in the field of mining.
Hovhannes Harutyunyan emphasizes that no country in the world, including Armenia, can refuse mining today.
“We know quite developed countries in Central Europe that have a mining industry. It is a long, continuous process, because the discovery of minerals that become relevant over the years forces everyone to develop the mining industry.
As for the possible, assumed losses of the mining industry, here risk management is important. In order to ensure that management, the standards are constantly being improved, institutes are working on them,” the Deputy Minister noted, adding that the strategy has defined a number of regulations in this regard, including mechanisms of public-private partnership, steps to promote attracting investment, etc.
Hovhannes Harutyunyan also touched on the issue of targeting the Armenian mining sector by the Azerbaijanis, and the environmental accusations being made. He mentioned that the organizations of the field in the RA operate according to the rules of internal legislation, and it is compiled taking into account the international best practice.
The Deputy Minister emphasizes that there is a need to improve the legislation from time to time and new standards are localized.
“It is very difficult to watch a developing country from the side like that. When they see that the Republic of Armenia is developing at a fast pace, has great potential, has been recording high economic growth for several years now, there will be states and people who do not want to see it, and put into circulation fictitious, growth-impeding words. All these are just rumors, they have no factual basis,” Harutyunyan said.
He emphasized once again that every branch of industry has its role in economic indicators, and mining is one of the branches that has provided and provides Armenia’s economic activity in the long term.
