In Yerevan, ecologists demand to stop construction works in green area of Abovyan Street

In Yerevan, a pit was dug in the place of shops, dismantled in Abovyan Street. The Mayoralty states that no major construction is underway and that the works will soon be completed. Ecologists demand to stop the construction in the green area of the city.

Let us remind you that in the beginning of the year, Mayor Taron Margaryan ordered to dismantle the shops in Abovyan Street, one of the central streets of Yerevan. The Mayor declared that no facilities would be built on the places of the dismantled boutiques. Taron Margaryan also said that in the territory of the park, the green area would be restored, irrigation system would be repaired, park ways would be paved, benches and garbage boxes would be installed, and the park would be provided with lighting. As a result, the territory, where the shops were earlier situated, turned into a small green area, where a summer cafe is located. However, near the summer cafe, construction vehicles started working, and deep pit was dug.

A number of ecological organizations and civic initiatives demand to stop construction works in the green area of the city and to bring all persons, involved in the construction, to liability to the fullest extent of the law.

Vagram Sogomyan, a member of the Civil Initiative "We are Masters of Our City", told journalists that the activists appealed to the Mayoralty, demanding to stop the construction works, conducted in the green area of Abovyan Street and to fill with soil the dug pit.

In his turn, Taron Margaryan, Mayor of Yerevan, has explained that at present, in the place of the shops, dismantled in Abovyan Street, the construction of underground public toilets, permitted by the Mayoralty, is underway.

"I issued instructions to place an appropriate information board on the site of the construction works and take steps to inform citizens about the ongoing construction. No major construction is carried out in No. 19 in Abovyan Street. Taking into account a large flow of pedestrians, we decided to start the construction of public toilets. The construction works are to be completed in the nearest future," Taron Margaryan stated.

Arthur Gevorkyan, the head of the press service of the Mayoralty, refuted the information that a cafe was to be built on the place of the dismantled shops. "I treat such kind of talks as a slander, and this information does not correspond to reality. The Mayoralty and the owner of the facility agreed that the private underground public toilets would be public," he has explained.