Armenian ecologists worry about hotel construction in Khosrov Reserve

Activists of ecological organizations of Armenia call to suspend construction of the hotel in the Khosrov Natural Reserve and start broad public debates on the use of this area for ecological tourism.

Karine Danielyan, chair of the "Associations for Sustainable Development" and former minister of ecology, said that the civil works carried out in the reserve are inflicting huge harm to the ecosystem.

"We have a precedent of the Dzhrvezh Forest Park, when the Ministry of Ecology asserted that this territory had no value from the viewpoint of biodiversity, as it had no endemic plants; however, scientists proved that it was an obvious mistake," the ecologist has reminded.

Meanwhile, according to Aram Agasyan, head of the division of specially protected natural territories of the Ministry of Wildlife Protection of Armenia, the construction in the Khosrov Reserve is carried out on lawful grounds.

"It will be the centre for visitors and the core for development of ecological tourism," said Mr Agasyan. He added that at the moment the construction is suspended. The official said that there was a project, and if the company-developer broke its contractual provisions, the contract would be will cancelled, and the company would be made responsible.

Under his assurance, the place, where the hotel is built, has no value from the viewpoint of biodiversity.