Environmentalists’ concern to reach London
The Teghut Defense Group today staged a protest action outside the Yerevan Office of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) with posters, "Save Teghut!" "European Bank and VTB have concluded a disgraceful deal."
The protesters expressed concern about an illegal mining operation in the pristine forest of Teghut to be funded by Russian VTB Bank.
Ecologist Mariam Sukhudian claims that EBRD will allocate $10 million to the Russian bank. The latter will allot a loan of $ 250 mln. to the Armenian Copper Programme (ACP) Company to operate the copper and molybdenum mine in Teghut.
The group was received by Head of the EBRD Yerevan Office Valery Razlog who promised to send the protesters' letter to London for further consideration.
The protesters warned that if the bank did not reconsider its position, they would stage large-scale actions in Yerevan and Europe.
