YEREVAN. – I suppose there will be criminal accountability for the pollution of the Voghji river. Armenia’s  Minister of Environment, Erik Grigoryan, told this to reporters in the National Assembly today, referring to the fact that as a result of the accident at the Artsvanik tailing dump pipeline, contaminated water has flown into the Voghji river.

According to him, the environmental and subsoil inspection body is carrying out the whole administration on environmental violations in Armenia. “That body did the sampling in the Voghji river, did the research, took the samples. "

In response to the question, what was the result of these samples, the Minister replied: "The concentrations of certain metals, aluminum and iron exceed the permissible quantities. There are several studies that are organic and cannot be accomplished in one day, which lasts 3-4 days. (…). Damage shall be calculated in accordance with the procedure and formulas established by the decision of the Government. If the damage exceeds a certain amount, criminal liability is imposed for the polluters. If not, it implies administrative accountability.

There are heavy metals in the river that can cause some harm to organisms and ecosystems, depending on their density. "

As for the restoration of the damage caused to nature, Erik Grigoryan noted that the relevant bodies can oblige the owners to bring nature back to its former form.

On October 17, it became known that the wastes of the Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine were dumped into the Voghji river, causing the river had changed color.