Commenting on the cutting down of 50 thousand trees for exploration of the polymetallic deposit in Kapan, Deputy Minister of Nature Protection of Armenia Simon Papyan said that “development of economy is impossible without any damage to the environment.”

“What we should do is to maximally reduce the possible damage and seek for best solutions,” he said.

Asked by a PanARMENIAN.Net about the ecologists’ concerns over the open exploration of the deposit, Papyan said the issue is not on the agenda and “once it appears there, public hearings will be organized before any decision is taken.”

“Armenia experiences serious ecological problems mostly regarding the ecosystem of Lake Sevan,” he said.