JERMUK, JULY 24, ARMENPRESS. Locals of a number of Armenian towns and villages who are employed by Lydian Armenia are concerned over losing their jobs as it has been more than a month since they’ve been furloughed.

The workers are locals of Gndevaz, Gorayk, Saravan and Jermuk, who are engaged in research, construction, as well as social programs at Lydian Armenia.

The Amulsar mine, operated by Lydian Armenia, has been temporarily shut down due to ongoing protests by environmentalists who have blocked the road leading to the mine. The protesters demand the mine to be shut down to avoid environmental issues.

Since the works at the mine have been disrupted, Lydian Armenia has stopped the funding, including funding for communities for rented areas, while local workers have been furloughed until further notice.

“I’ve been working at the laboratory of Gorayk as a lab assistant for already ten years. There were no other jobs at the village. If the works don’t re-start it will affect the social situation of not only us, but also other families of the village, because today nearly 1500 people are left without a job like me. I am thinking about finding another job, but there is no other option,” Marine Hovhannisyan from Gorayk said.

As of April, 2018, Lydian Armenia and Amulsar contractors had 1460 employees, 464 of whom from nearby communities of the mine.

Local official of Saravan community Razmik Manukyan says everyone always had concerns over environmental issues, but Lydian Armenia experts had numerously organized meetings and discussions to present all works and processes.

“We too want for a governmental task force to be created which will give an accurate answer as soon as possible. We too are concerned over the ecology and the health of our children. But it is wrong to just block it and not allow to work without facts,” he said.

Karen Badalyan from Jermuk told ARMEPRESS that he is engaged in measurement works at Lydian Armenia for one and a half years. “We work with foreign experts by using modern high technologies. I haven’t seen those technologies in Armenia. In addition to working, we also acquire experience and skills. The living standards of people has grown, high funding exists, they pay high salaries,” he said.

The locals are waiting for the task force to be created, and the results of its studies.

Deputy PM Tigran Avinyan had earlier said that the government is setting up a working group over the issue.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan