Armenia to create Environment Protection Service

YEREVAN, November 21. /ARKA/. Armenia's Environment Minister Hakob Simidyan announced today a government plan designed to create an environment protection service that will deal with monitoring and protection of the country's natural resources.

Speaking at an extraordinary session of the National Assembly that discussed today a package of amendments to law On the Environmental Protection Service he said one of the key aspects of the proposed amendments is to ensure round-the-clock protection of forests and national parks.

"There is an urgent need to strengthen the control and monitoring of the ecosystems of the country," the minister emphasized. He said the amendments call for replacing the Forestry Committee by the Environmental Protection Service.

The employees of the new service will have the right to register offenses, initiate criminal cases, assess the damage to the environment and impose fines in case of violation of the existing norms. Moreover, in critical situations they will be allowed to use both physical force and weapons.  

According to the minister, the Armenian government will determine the sources of financing of the new service and acquisition of equipment. The new service will have 1,176 employees. It will be equipped with modern devices for effective control and supervision of the environment. The establishment of the service is expected to be completed in 2024.

These steps, as Simidyan noted, are aimed at improving environmental security and ensuring more effective control over Armenia's natural resources, which is important in terms of preserving the richness and diversity of its ecosystems. -0-