OSCE YEREVAN OFFICE DEMANDS GYUMRI AARHUS CENTRE OPERATIONS TO RESUME

Tert.am
14:38 â~@¢ 26.01.10

OSCE Office in Yerevan is calling for the quick restoration of
the operation of the Aarhus Centre in Gyumri and is currently in
the process of negotiations with the Ministries of Territorial
Administration and Nature Protection. At this moment an agreement
has been reached for the staff of the Gyumri Centre being able to
organize events in the Centre’s premises prior to a final solution
to the technical issues is attained.

According to a release issued by the OSCE Office in Yerevan, since
2001, the Office has been promoting the principles of the Aarhus
Convention, which includes access to information, access to justice
and public participation in decision-making on environmental issues,
in Armenia.

During the last 10 years, the Office supported the establishment of 14
Environmental Public Information Centres (Aarhus Centres) in different
Armenian provinces (marzes), including the one in Gyumri. The Centres
operate on the basis of the Memorandа of Co-operation between the
OSCE, the Ministry of Nature Protection and local authorities and
have contributed to raising awareness among the population, solving
environmental problems and enhancing co-operation between public
organizations and state bodies.

Gyumri Aarhus Centre is considered to be one of the most active ones
and during the last 3 years it consistently and enthusiastically
worked towards raising environmental awareness and legal recourse
among the population of Shirak province.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress