Mine are owned by officials
"Armenia has heavy wounds," says Sona Ayvazyan, Director of the Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center.
"Each mine becomes an open wound that is never cured," she added.
The Centre has revealed numerous shortcomings in the sphere during a joint study with the the Black Sea Cooperation Fund.
Transparency International Armenia has made inquiries among 27 companies asking information about metal ores, their founders, social and ecological programs and payments. Only three of the companies provided the Centre with information.
The findings revealed that the documents stored in state structures are incomplete. They do not define conditions of subsoil use and do not give information on environmental impact assessment. The documents show that the mines are owned by officials.
"The governor of Syunik region, Suren Khachatryan turns out to be the owner of Hankasar mine. Hrazdan mine is owned by Tigran Arzakantsyan and the son of ex-minister of ecology Vardan Ayvazyan," said Sona Ayvazyan.
Sona Ayvazyan is hopeful that the mining industry will become transparent one day.
