CLARIFICATION ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE AARHUS CENTRE IN GYUMRI

ArmInfo
2010-01-27 11:33:00

ArmInfo. The OSCE Office in Yerevan has been promoting the principles
of the Aarhus Convention in Armenia since 2001. It includes access
to information, access to justice and public participation in
decision-making on environmental issues.

The press-service of the OSCE Office in Yerevan told ArmInfo that
during the last 10 years the Office supported the establishment
of 14 Environmental Public Information Centres (Aarhus Centres)
in different provinces of Armenia, including the one in Gyumri. The
Office is being approached by various local authorities with a request
to open new Centres. The Centres operate on the basis of the Memorand
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. Since the closure of the
Aarhus Centre can significantly harm these activities, the Office
calls for the quick restoration of the operation of the Centre 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.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress