YEREVAN. – The Government of Armenia has allocated $300,000 from the state budget to the respected international organization to conduct a study at Amulsar gold mine.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday stated the aforementioned at the National Assembly, and during the debates on the 2018 activity report of the government.

In his words, this study will answer but one question: Are there environmental risks that may arise during the operation of this gold mine?

“If the conclusions are negative, then it can be said that there are environmental risks here for the water system of Jermuk [town] and for Lake Sevan, and that’s why the given project will be completely closed,” Pashinyan clarified. “And if they say to us that the risks are not substantial—that is, they are manageable, then the project will continue to be implemented.”

But the Armenian PM noted that the matter had been put off a bit also because Lydian Armenia company, which manages Amulsar gold mine, had not cooperated with the government.