AZG Armenian Daily #110, 16/06/2005

Ecology

DO AUTHORITIES TRY TO CHANGE STATUS OF SHIKAHOGH?

“SOS Shikahogh” working group initiated to hold a press conference on
the issue of Shikahogh state preserve and especially on constructing
a road through its territory. The press release of the organization
says the following:

“SOS Shikahogh” working group that represents ecological alliance of
40 international NGOs provides new information on the decision of RA
Government and the construction that is on full swing already.

In the course of the experts’ June 10-12 visit to Shikahogh, the
members of the working group saw that “Dorozhnik” CJSC has already
began large-scale road construction works. As a result, the asphalted
road is already reaching the preserve by its south and north borders.

The road construction experts stated that the envisaged road doesn’t
keep in line with any criteria, as when passing though Shikahogh’s
territory it goes up and down twice which makes it impossible for the
tracks to travel there. Moreover, in case of exploiting these hills,
the local flora and fauna will be greatly damaged.

Moreover, “5th Wheel” program of RA Public TV broadcasted on June 9 was
dedicated to the issue of Shikahogh. The representatives of ecological
organizations participated in the program. Their opponents were the
officials of RA Agency for Ecological Resources Management led by
Artashes Ziroyan. It became clear from Ziroyan’s statement that the
government took 15 days of “time out” to change the status of Shikahogh
state preserve changing that into the status of a national park.