Open Letter to RA Prime Minster Tigran Sargsyan

We read in the June 21, 2011 edition of Ecolur that public hearings regarding an draft bill of modifications and additions to the 2006 Government Law N583 (Procedures on transfer of control of state forests to community organizations on non-competitive basis) was held on June 17, 2011 at the Yerevan State University's Environmental Rights Center (ERC).

The hearing was jointly organized by the HayAntar SNOC and the ERC. There were several civic groups and NBO's in attendance, including the World Wildlife Federation and the mining company, Vallex Group.

Without discussing the draft bill itself, I would like to call your attention to the following points that need clarification:

- The participants were invited by the ERC by phone, just a day or two before the event

- When the participants asked for a copy of the draft bill, the item to be discussed, they were told by the ERC that they were running late and that copies would be provided at the hearing.

- It wasn't made clear to those invited if they were to participate in a public hearing or a discussion.

- At the event, the draft bill was presented by HayAntar SNOC Deputy Director Ruben Petrosyan.

- NGO's who specialize in this field were not invited.

- The draft bill in question was not to be found in the websites of the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of the Environment or Ministry of Territorial Administration.

If we are correct in assuming that public hearings were held at the Yerevan State University's ERC, then we must point out that several Armenian laws have been intentionally violated.

Thus, according to RA "Pertaining to Freedom of Information" (Articles 6 & 9), we request that:

- What event exactly took place at the University's ERC

- We be provided with the version of the draft bill presented to the RA Government by HayAntar SNOC

Edik Baghdasaryan
President, Investigative Journalists NGO