Prosecutor General's Office lodges complaint with OECD, Council of Europe over Armenia's environmental crimes

An investigation is currently underway at the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan concerning the intensive pollution of the Araz and Okhchu rivers in the bordering region with Armenia.

According to the press-service of the Prosecutor General's Office, the intensive pollution caused by the large mining enterprises of Armenia, such as the Qajaran copper-molybdenum and Qafan ore processing plants of the transboundary river Okhchuchay, the construction of a large metallurgical plant in the village of Yeraskh (Arazdayan) without consultation with the Azerbaijani side, and the violation, at the same time, of environmental protection norms necessitate the implementation of additional measures.

In light of this, the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan has addressed the letter to the Economic Cooperation and Development Organization and the Council of Europe.

The complaint highlights the importance of compliance with the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, the Espoo (Environmental Impact Assessment) Convention, environmental protection requirements, the regulations for the proper organization of the operation of mining facilities, and the importance of cooperation with the official authorities of our country in determining the environmental damage caused.