YEREVAN. – The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Armenia, Yervand Zakharyan, on Tuesday met—outside the Government Building—with a group of former employees of Nairit chemical rubber plant of capital city of Yerevan, and who were protesting outside the building since early morning.

Zakharyan promised them that the entire debt of their unpaid salaries will be paid off by no later than July 15, Nairit former Press Secretary Anush Harutyunyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“Yervand Zakharyan said there was a discussion with the President and the Prime Minister on the Nairit issue,” Harutyunyan said. “And upon the President’s instruction, the wage debts shall be paid by July 15.”

She noted that some Nairit workers believe in this promise, whereas others do not.

“At this point, we are discussing our future courses of action, and we will make a [respective] statement soon,” Anush Harutyunyan added.

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.

The workers have assembled outside the Government Building and the Office of the President numerous times, and demanded a solution to their salary-related problems.