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WHO WILL GET KARABAKH'S GOLD?
Yesterday the Board of Trustees of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund decided
to direct funds raised during Telethon 2013 for the Vardenis-Martakert
road.
This is a very important decision indeed. First of all because
Armenians worldwide will actually donate money to develop
infrastructures in the liberated region of Karvachar. This region
has long been considered "controversial". Azerbaijan and Turkey kept
insisting on its surrender but now a political decision has been made
which certifies that surrender of this region is out of discussion.
Anyway, the reconstruction of Vardenis-Martakert road is also
linked to internal affairs in Karabakh and Armenia. The issue is
that Martakert and Karvachar regions of Karabakh are rich in mineral
resources, especially gold and copper. Produced ore is transported
to the enrichment facility in Sotk, Armenia, and the new road will
be a shortcut.
Ten years ago when exploitation of mines was only starting, then the
prime minister of Karabakh Anushavan Danielyan proposed to lay out a
railway connecting Martakert with Vardenis. This could have been not
only an economic but also a strategic project. At that time, however,
Karvachar issue was still being discussed and Armenia did not want
to invest in a region which could be returned to Azerbaijan.
Now the situation is different, and not only the survival and the
preservation of liberated areas, but also making life more comfortable
should be considered. In the last few years, Karabakh has become a
beautiful country, but the life there is not more comfortable. An
outflow of population, discontent not only about low salaries but
also poor governmental management can be noticed there. Most people
are in banking bondage, new apartments in beautiful buildings cost
huge money, loans are offered to buy these houses, while no loan is
provided for the purchase of cheap houses in the "secondary market".
Ten years ago there was a wheat farming boom in Karabakh. High-ranking
officials planted hectares of wheat fields, sold grain to the
government at competitive prices. Apparently, however, this business
was not quite "profitable" because it required investments. About
five years ago the "building boom" began, and the same military and
administrative officials rushed to build "luxury" houses. This was
done either on public funds or concessional finance. Houses have been
built but there are no buyers.
Now it is the "mining boom" when everyone is trying to find their mine
and earn money. Besides ecological threats, this boom is dangerous
also because it may cause a new wave of social protest. People are
saying loudly that mineral resources belong to everyone.
In a country like Artsakh no one has the right to single-handed
management of national wealth. A law should be adopted that stipulates
that at least one third of profit from mines should go to the state
budget. This money could be used for the reconstruction of roads and
even the construction of a railway.
Naira Hayrumyan 17:15 04/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/country/view/30034
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Yesterday the Board of Trustees of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund decided
to direct funds raised during Telethon 2013 for the Vardenis-Martakert
road.
This is a very important decision indeed. First of all because
Armenians worldwide will actually donate money to develop
infrastructures in the liberated region of Karvachar. This region
has long been considered "controversial". Azerbaijan and Turkey kept
insisting on its surrender but now a political decision has been made
which certifies that surrender of this region is out of discussion.
Anyway, the reconstruction of Vardenis-Martakert road is also
linked to internal affairs in Karabakh and Armenia. The issue is
that Martakert and Karvachar regions of Karabakh are rich in mineral
resources, especially gold and copper. Produced ore is transported
to the enrichment facility in Sotk, Armenia, and the new road will
be a shortcut.
Ten years ago when exploitation of mines was only starting, then the
prime minister of Karabakh Anushavan Danielyan proposed to lay out a
railway connecting Martakert with Vardenis. This could have been not
only an economic but also a strategic project. At that time, however,
Karvachar issue was still being discussed and Armenia did not want
to invest in a region which could be returned to Azerbaijan.
Now the situation is different, and not only the survival and the
preservation of liberated areas, but also making life more comfortable
should be considered. In the last few years, Karabakh has become a
beautiful country, but the life there is not more comfortable. An
outflow of population, discontent not only about low salaries but
also poor governmental management can be noticed there. Most people
are in banking bondage, new apartments in beautiful buildings cost
huge money, loans are offered to buy these houses, while no loan is
provided for the purchase of cheap houses in the "secondary market".
Ten years ago there was a wheat farming boom in Karabakh. High-ranking
officials planted hectares of wheat fields, sold grain to the
government at competitive prices. Apparently, however, this business
was not quite "profitable" because it required investments. About
five years ago the "building boom" began, and the same military and
administrative officials rushed to build "luxury" houses. This was
done either on public funds or concessional finance. Houses have been
built but there are no buyers.
Now it is the "mining boom" when everyone is trying to find their mine
and earn money. Besides ecological threats, this boom is dangerous
also because it may cause a new wave of social protest. People are
saying loudly that mineral resources belong to everyone.
In a country like Artsakh no one has the right to single-handed
management of national wealth. A law should be adopted that stipulates
that at least one third of profit from mines should go to the state
budget. This money could be used for the reconstruction of roads and
even the construction of a railway.
Naira Hayrumyan 17:15 04/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/country/view/30034
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress