Jermuk residents remain opposed to Amulsar mining project, ready to protect their environment

The residents of Jermuk remain resolute in their opposition to the Amulsar mining project. Their stance has not changed over the years, despite ongoing efforts to restart mining operations. Shirak Buniatyan, a local resident said in an interview with Panorama.am on Saturday, stating that concerns about the project have only grown stronger over time.

“It’s no secret that the border is now closer to Jermuk, posing a serious challenge for the city, In the current situation, the push to revive the disastrous Amulsar project has sparked widespread concern among residents, with many stating that if mining operations cannot be stopped, they will have no choice but to leave the region. I speak with fellow residents every day and frequently hear such concerns. At the same time, people are ready to fight for their living space and protect their environment, exercising their constitutional rights. However, if no solution is found to stop the project, many people are prepared to relocate their businesses and move their families elsewhere,” Buniatyan stated.

Armenia’s Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan recently shared a post from the U.S. Embassy in Armenia, which welcomed the agreement between Lydian and the Armenian government to relaunch the large-scale Amulsar gold mining project. “While some are howling over Armenia’s economic success, another major investment project is about to launch. The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on,” Papoyan wrote.

Buniatyan highlighted that border security issues have a significant impact on tourism.

“As tourism declines, job opportunities will shrink as well. Against this backdrop, when mining is being forced upon the community, people see that life in their city and birthplace is becoming even more difficult,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jermuk residents remain skeptical about the potential restart of the Amulsar gold mine project.

“Large-scale construction is underway in Jermuk with significant investments in the tourism sector. For example, a new mineral water bottling plant is set to be built soon. These types of investments are completely incompatible with mining operations. As a result, residents are confused; on the one hand, tourism-related investments are increasing, but on the other hand, there’s talk about mining. Many people don’t take the Amulsar project seriously anymore because similar announcements have been made repeatedly since 2018, yet no concrete action has been taken. That’s why locals remain skeptical,” Buniatyan emphasized.

Last summer, the Jermuk Alternative Development Forum and Media Campaign was held in Jermuk. Its goal was to establish a working group to craft strategies for developing the agricultural and tourism sectors and contributing to the community’s growth.

When asked whether the working group’s efforts have yielded results, Buniatyan responded: “Although Jermuk is a resort town, there’s still much work to be done to develop tourism. Regarding the working group, we believe that the rural areas within the Jermuk community need targeted development. For instance, we’re considering setting up a cold storage facility in the village of Gndevaz, which has large apricot orchards. The lack of cold storage often leads to spoilage and a decline in quality. We have discussed this proposal with the community leader and received positive feedback. We are confident that we can bring these projects to life through collaboration.”