EcoLur
RA Chief Prosecutor's Office has sent a response in regard to the verdict of Public Environmental Court on the case of violating balance of groundwater resources in Ararat artesian basin.
Reminder: On 5 February, EcoLur Public Environmental Court organized upon EcoLur’s initiative reached a verdict that recognized the overexploitation of water resources in the artesian basin of Ararat Valley leading to an environmental disaster as an environmental crime. EcoLur sent the verdict of Public Environmental Court PEC 001/19 on the case of violating balance of groundwater resources in Ararat artesian basin to RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, RA Chief Prosecutor and Secretary of Safety Council Armen Grigoryan.
In reply, Head of Department for Protection of State Interests of RA Chief Prosecutor's Office informed in his letter №5/5/2358-19: “ In regard with the materials provided by you on the case of violating balance of groundwater resources in Ararat artesian basin with your letter № ԻԶ/002 dated on 12.02.2019, I would like to inform that still on 27.12.2013 criminal case № 27124313 was initiated based on the features of Article 291(2) of RA Criminal Code relating to the matters raised by you.
On 27.12.2018, RA Chief Prosecutor took this case from the proceedings of the investigators of RA Investigative Committee and transferred to the proceedings of RA Special Investigative Service conditioned with its factual circumstances and driven from the need of multilateral, thorough and objective investigation of this case.
We can’t provide any information about this criminal case taking into consideration the fact that they may contain information of the preliminary investigation not subject to publication.
Besides that, RA Chief Prosecutor has sent a relevant letter to RA Nature Protection Minister (as a competent body) in order to suspend illegally issued water use permits for Ararat artesian basin or to initiate the process of recognizing them as invalid and to take immediate measures in this regard.
At the same time, I would like to inform you that the materials provided by you with your letter № ԻԶ/002 dated on 12.02.2019 have been sent to RA Nature Protection Ministry and RA Environmental and Mining Inspection Body (as competent bodies) in order to discuss the circumstances mentioned there and to take immediate measures in this regard, if needed.”
March 12, 2019 at 17:51