YEREVAN. – Parliamentary hearings on further operation, technical and financial feasibility of Nairit chemical plant were suspended immediately after they began.
Energy Minister Yervand Zakharyan and chairman of parliament's standing committee on economic issues Vardan Ayvazyan were outraged and left the hall for a meeting with speaker Galust Sahakyan.
Two dozens of former Nairit workers gathered near the parliament's building to follow the results of parliamentary hearings. They said representatives of former employees had to participate in the debates. Only 400 employees got their salaries, but not the majority of workers as claimed by Minister Zakharyan.
The former workers promise to stage protest action unless wage arrears of the rest workers of are fully cleared by July 30.
A total of 1,700 Nairit workers were formally discharged as of February 6. At this point, the total debt of Nairit chemical rubber plant—which no longer operates—amounts to 102 billion drams (approx. $215,184,825). Around $15 million of these arrears are the 18 to 24 months of unpaid wages of the plant employees.
