Around a dozen Armenian civil society organizations have sent an open letter to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), expressing strong concern over the financing of the Amulsar gold mine project.
They reminded the EBRD that it has adopted principles of environmental and social responsibility, meant to exclude investments harmful to people, nature, and communities. However, they argue that EBRD’s involvement in the Amulsar project channeled through Ameriabank, in which EBRD is a shareholder, contradicts these commitments.
The NGOs claim this link makes EBRD directly responsible for the mine’s social and environmental consequences. They stressed that the project:
- lacks comprehensive environmental and social assessments,
- threatens biodiversity and local community safety,
- contradicts rulings by the European Court of Human Rights against the Armenian government, as well as the Bern Convention’s requirements.
The letter calls on the EBRD to:
- conduct an independent and public risk assessment, covering environmental, social, financial, and reputational aspects,
- ensure its financial involvement in Armenia’s banking system is not directed toward supporting the Amulsar project,
- end cooperation with Ameriabank if the latter continues to support the mine.
The NGOs also warned that the ongoing developments around Amulsar threaten not only the environment and community well-being, but also the EBRD’s reputation as a responsible investor.
Ahead of COP17, they also sent open letters to Armenia’s president, government, and parliament, voicing concerns over the country’s contradictory environmental policies.
The signatories include Transparency International Anticorruption Center, Green Armenia, EcoLur, Community Consolidation and Support Center, Armenia’s Forests NGO, Armenian Environmental Front, Human Rights Research Center, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor Office, Asparez Journalists’ Club, Pink human rights organization, Protection of Rights Without Borders, Progressive Youth of Armenia, and the Foundation for the Development and Protection of Law.
Earlier, it was revealed that Civil Contract party board member Gnel Sanosyan was appointed as the government’s representative in Lydian Armenia.
On June 6, 2023, the heads of Lydian Armenia and Allied Gold Corp told Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan that they planned to jointly implement the Amulsar project. Discussions covered construction restart dates, expected launch of operations, financing progress, and state-company cooperation. Amulsar, Armenia’s second-largest gold deposit, is located at 2,500–2,988 meters in the Zangezur mountain range, on the border of Vayots Dzor and Syunik provinces. It is managed by Lydian Armenia, a subsidiary of Lydian International. The mine has long been idle, but a Lebanese firm, ELARD, previously carried out an environmental risk assessment of its potential exploitation.
