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On February 25, at the invitation of the RA NA Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture and Environment representatives of about two dozens of NGOs, foundations and independent experts involved in environmental problems visited the parliament.

According to the Committee Chair Varzadat Karapetyan, the joint debate was initiated in order the organizations engaged with the environmental problems and the experts present the problems, the concerns existing in the sphere and the recommendations. After listening to them the Committee would form working groups, where the environmentalists also would work with the MPs. Varazdat Karapetyan has noted that the experts’ recommendations and concerns are also important in terms of presenting legislative initiatives.

The environmentalists’ observations referred to the mining industry and the mines to be opened, the problem of the Lake Sevan, the preservation of the forests and their restoration, the animals and the protection of their rights, the sewerage waters being poured into the rivers, the endangering of the human health as a result of distortion of the environmental sphere, which had already reached to disastrous measures.

The Head of the Forests of Armenia NGO Nazeli Vardanyan has emphasized the rise of the responsibility of the organizations engaged in the mining industry, as to her, the legislation is violated.

Continuing her colleague’s ideas the Environmentalist, Professor Karine Danielyan expressed concern over the exhaustion of the metals and poisonous substances as a result of mine operation. The environmentalists proposed to make studies and clarify the territories demnading environmental risks.

The Candidate of Medical Sciences Yelena Ghandilyan alarmed about the fact that the carcinogens had increased in some agricultural products.

The participants emphasized the participation of the public in the decision-making processes on the issues of environmental significance.

The discussions will be continuous, the branch working groups will be formed: the Committee Chair Varazdat Karapetyan and the Committee member Mary Galstyan informed in their final speeches.