YEREVAN. – Nairit chemical plant employees do not trust the government, head of National Security Service Gorik Hakobyan said during the hearings.

“Around 500 people gathered near the plant yesterday. People are worried, they think only some of them will get salary. They do not trust the government, and this is the reason they need guarantees,” he said.

The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Yervand Zakharyan, had recently met with a group of former employees of Nairit. He had told them there was a discussion with the President and the Prime Minister on the Nairit issue, and upon the President’s instruction, the wage debts shall be paid by no later than Wednesday, July 15.

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.