HARD TALK
17 Jul 2018

The state can halt the activities of “Lydian” and stand to benefit - expert

Targets of “Lydian International” are the countries with rich deposits plus corrupt authorities

 

Why did “Lydian International” choose Armenia, Georgia and Kosovo? Answering his own question, public financial management expert Hovhannes Avetisyan says that these are the countries with rich deposits and corrupt authorities. “And where there are no institutions that can protect the public interest also in the event of possible negative consequences of mining activities. The choice of these countries initially questioned the company’s activities,” he adds.

Hovhannes Avetisyan emphasizes that the legislation even gives an opportunity to halt their activities on the basis of public interests. “The way we evaluate and formulate public interest is another matter. Sure, we also need to be ready for legal actions from “Lydian International”. But there is no need to be afraid, this is okay too. I believe that the state can benefit if it conducts checks not only in terms of environmental protection, but also in financial and economic activities,” the public financial management expert says. Find the details in the program “Hard Talk”.