YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. The Prosecutor General’s department of protection of state interests has launched a criminal case against Lydian Armenia for alleged illegal mining operations in the Amulsar mine, the Prosecutor General’s office said in a statement.

The  criminal case is initiated on paragraph 2, Article 291 of the Criminal Code – causing damage to the environmental, the soil and mineral resources due to unauthorized mining operations or violations of rules.

The statement said that earlier the inspectorate of the ministry of nature protection had submitted documents on its July inspection at Lydian Armenia regarding illegal and unauthorized mountain mass demolishment. Based on the findings, the Prosecutor General’s department of protection of state interests had launched studies.

The Prosecutor General’s office said that Lydian Armenia has deviated from its contract and has caused damage to the environment, particularly by removing mountain mass near its mine in Amulsar. The Prosecutor General’s office says the damages amount to nearly 18,000,000 drams.

The Investigative Committee has been tasked with the investigation of the case.

Lydian Armenia hasn’t yet made a public statement on this development.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan