We have put a task before us to study the problems of the sector and to invite representatives of the competent institutions, as well as of the communities to attend this debate. As a result, if we understand that there is a need of legislative regulations, then the National Assembly is ready for that: The Deputy Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs Rustam Bakoyan said during the work debate on the theme Mining Sector and Newly Constructed Roads organized at his initiative on February 13.
The NA deputies, the representatives of the RA Ministries, of the responsible structures, of the mining sector, of the communities took part in the debate.
Rustam Bakoyan noted that during his visits to different communities of the republic the residents and the representatives of the local self-government bodies considered especially concerning the damaging roads and its consequences, the existing omissions in the mining sector. Particularly, the residents of Armavir and Ararat marzes and the representatives of the local self-government bodies were concerned about the illegal mining and the movement of the overloaded vehicles through inter-community roads.
During the debate the speakers presented the problems existing in the mining sector, the legislative gaps, the reasons of the road damage and made a number of proposals for removing them. Statistical data on illegal mining, the initiated criminal proceedings, established fines were presented.
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According to some data presented by the Executive Director of the Road Department Fund Gor Avetisyan, about 90 percent of the trucks carries out the internal transportations overloaded. As he said, the external transportations are mainly controlled at the customs points, as a result of which the overloaded vehicles do not enter to the republic. It was noted that after 2018, large scale of investments was made in the road construction sector, about 2400 km road was overhauled or repaired by the state budget, where the subvention programmes are not included. Their majority is related to the road leading to the very mines. Gor Avetisyan noted that many roads are in miserable state, part of which are in Ararat and in Armavir marzes. According to him, the only solution of the problem is that the control should be carried out by the miners, as almost all the miners have scales in their areas. “If legislative amendments made, then after several warnings we can deprive the miner of the license, if the overloaded load comes out from the very mine,” he proposed, mentioning that this approach can be applicable in Ararat and in Armavir marzes.
The representatives of the mining sector attending the debate considered acceptable the proposing approaches to be spread on all old and new organizations of the sector.
Other participants of the debate stated that the roads are also damaged by the vehicles transporting agricultural products, as well as construction waste, which are also overloaded in the republic.
The Deputy Head of the RA Police Karen Hakobyan introduced several data on illegal mining. Accordingly, in 2023, 75 such cases were revealed in different marzes of the republic, criminal proceedings were initiated with different articles on 73 of them.
To regulate the issue of road overloading Karen Hakobyan particularly proposed to leave the responsibility on the miners, as they are the ones loading the vehicles. Other participants of the debate proposed to remove the reasons, but not the consequences.
The Head of Environmental Protection and Mining Inspection Body Hovhannes Martirosyan informed that during 2023, the structure disclosed 113 cases of illegal mining use, 18 out of them related to the cases disclosed during the inspections carried out with the existing permissions with the entities, and the remaining 95 are cases of illegal mining, in general.
The Deputy Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Economic Affairs Babken Tunyan alsotook part in the debate. The deputy noted that the important problems under debate have been in the centre of attention of the Committee, some legislative works have been done referring to that. There is legislative package, which is still at the phase of revision. He expressed willingness to debate the proposals made.
Summing up the debate, the Deputy Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs Rustam Bakoyan expressed hope that it will be possible to solve those problems in the near future, and if necessary a new debate will be held.
National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia