YEREVAN. – The matter on whether or not halting the operation of the Amulsar gold mine of Armenia has divided the parliament majority My Step faction into two, according to Hraparak (Square) newspaper.
“[The faction’s] supporters of the non-operation of the mine make up more than 3 dozen, who have presented their [respective] arguments during the faction meeting yesterday.
“If the authorities make a political decision not to halt the operation of the mine, it is not ruled out that the opposing wing will separate from the faction, creating an ‘autonomous republic.’
‘“Is such a thing possible?’ our journalist inquired of Hovik Aghazaryan, a My Step MP, a supporter of the position of continuing the operation of the mine.
“[But] he has avoided a straight answer. ‘If this matter is truly a matter of principle for my friends [at the My Step faction], they can choose their own path. But as a result of trust toward the [incumbent] authorities in the new realities, a viewpoint can be changed a little,’” Hraparak wrote.