PROPERTY RIGHTS IN FOCUS OF CONSTRUCTION OF NORTH SOUTH TRANSPORT CORRIDOR

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 10, 2011

PanARMENIAN.Net – Special attention will be rendered to compensation
of proprietary right and archeological issues when implementing
construction of North South transport corridor, according to Armenian
Minister of Transport and Communication Manuk Vardanyan.

A French company developed the project, ordered by Asian Development
Bank (ADB), whose requirements for social and ecology issues were
strict, the Minister told journalists after presentation of North
South transport corridor investment programs, Project 1 and Project 2.

The Minister emphasized importance of monetary compensation to owners
of lost ground areas, buildings and business.

“Any proprietor, a legal entity or a citizen, or a community,
regardless of type of ownership, should receive respective
compensation,” said Vardanyan adding that unless ground areas are
redeemed to become state’s property, construction of the road cannot
be started.

According to the Minister, program presentation, notifying citizens
about compensation means will be organized at all communities where
the road will pass.

Vardanyan said that the state will try to exclude all shortcomings in
the legal field in the issue of compensation, however if any drawbacks
still persist, people may address a court.

The compensation will be totally covered from the Armenia’s budget,
and is in no way connected with ADB tranches.

“Archeological issues will also be in the focus of Transportation
Ministry, as there are spots on the whole length of the future road
that aroused archeologists’ interest,” said the Minister adding that
any decisions during construction of the road will be adopted after
positive conclusion of archeologists.

Vardanyan stressed that ADB signifies this problem as well.

The total length of North South transport corridor will total 556
km from Armenian-Iranian border to Georgian. Asian Development
Bank allotted a USD 500 million worth credit to fund a part of for
North-South corridor construction program. The Corridor will allow
Armenia to become a transit state in regional transportation industry,
as well as join the Black Sea circular highway.