(MENAFN- AzerNews) By trend
Azerbaijani protesters are not going to leave until
they receive a clear answer to their demands, said Chairman of the
Environmental Public Council of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Ecology
and Natural Resources Amin Mammadov, who is part of the protesting
crowd, trend reports from the scene.
Azerbaijanis continue protests near the post of the
Russian peacekeepers (temporarily stationed in the area) near
Shusha.
Mammadov reminded that last week, on Friday, about 30
NGOs engaged in environmental protection, signed an appeal and
forwarded it to the Russian Embassy in Azerbaijan.
'The appeal is addressed to the commander of the
Russian peacekeeping contingent. In this appeal, we demand from
General Volkov to create conditions for our environmentalists to
conduct monitoring at the 'Gizilbulagh' and 'Damirli' fields, to
study the consequences of illegal exploitation of these fields for
the environment. Unfortunately, when Azerbaijani specialists
accompanied by Russian peacekeepers arrived in these territories,
they were prevented by the separatists, while the peacekeepers did
not take any action,' said Mammadov.
'Therefore, we decided to come here. We have been here
since yesterday morning. They blocked the roadblock. We began to
chant our requirements and slogans such as 'No to environmental
terror', and 'Stop the illegal exploitation of Azerbaijan's natural
resources'. Yesterday we also demanded the presence of General
Volkov to answer our questions,' he added.
'His deputy for political affairs, Colonel Kovalchuk,
promised us that Volkov has been informed, and should arrive in the
several hours. But it's already the second day, and he didn't come,
thereby framing his subordinates. It is strange that he does not
get in touch with representatives of the Azerbaijani public. We are
not going to retreat, we have specific requirements. We are not
going to stop this protest until we receive a clear answer,' he
said.
Representatives of Azerbaijan's non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) are protesting near Shusha, close to the post
of Russian peacekeepers, who are temporarily stationed in the area.
The action is being held against the inadmissibility of Azerbaijani
specialists to the territory, to monitor the illegal exploitation
of deposits in the area.
Previously, following the negotiations with the
Russian peacekeepers' command on December 3 and 7, 2022, a group of
experts from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the
State Property Service under the Ministry of Economy, and AzerGold
CJSC on December 10, was going to begin the preliminary monitoring
in accordance with the illegal exploitation of mineral deposits, as
well as the emerging environmental and other consequences of this
on the territory of Azerbaijan.
It was planned to inspect the environmental conditions
at the 'Gizilbulagh' gold deposit and the 'Damirli'
copper-molybdenum deposit, monitor various areas, organize
cadastral property records, assess potential risks and threats to
the environment, as well as to underground and surface water
sources.
However, despite the group's arrival, accompanied by
Russian peacekeepers, in the monitoring area, it faced
provocations. The planned initial inspection and monitoring did not
take place due to the fact that the Russian peacekeepers not only
did not create necessary conditions and prevented for the entire
process to carry on.
---
Follow us on Twitter @azernewsaz
Tags: azerbaijan ministry of ecology and natural resources shusha ngos russian peacekeepers
Comments
No comment