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We,
the undersigned civil society representatives of the Republic of Armenia (RA) express
our deep concern and indignation regarding the de-national nature of recent developments
and illegal processes related to the environment in Armenia, in particular the
decision on increasing water release from Lake Sevan up to the mark of 360
million cubic meters (which is twice as much as it was in previous
years), adopted by the RA National Assembly on August 14 2008 upon the initiative
of the RA Government.

We remind that Lake Sevan is the strategic freshwater reservoir of the Republic of Armenia
as well as the region, and the actual use of the lake shall pursue the aim of restoration
and preservation of this source of drinking water, taking into consideration drinking
water scarcity in the whole world. Impeding the increase of the level of Lake Sevan
for any purpose may be hazardous for the lake ecosystem.

We are convinced that the increase of water release from Lake Sevan
and the consequent decrease of the lake's level are in the interest of a group
of individuals. The decision adopted in August 2008 is a precedent to raise the
same issue in the following years and to impede the rise of lake's level on
various pretexts. The slow-down of the cleanup of the lake shores, delays in
operation of Vorotan-Arpa tunnel, holdup of reconstruction of highways,
speculation of emergency weather conditions, proposals on introducing amendments
to the RA Law "On Lake Sevan", and others serve the mentioned aim.

We are skeptical about the "expert conclusion" drawn by
the Expert Commission on Lake Sevan and we cast doubts on the independence and incorruptibility of
"experts" who concurred with the release of water, which would bring
down the lake's level and lead to its negative water balance.

We record that the enrollment of representatives of society into
various councils and commissions founded by different institutions in RA, is,
in fact, an imitation of democracy and transparency. The fatal for the most
important strategic resource in the country decision has not been presented and
discussed even in structures like the National Sustainable Development Council,
which operates adjunct to the RA Prime Minister, founded with the aim of
ensuring sustainable development of the country and balancing economic, social
and environmental issues, or the Board of Experts of the Aarhus Center founded
by the joint initiative of RA Ministry of Nature Protection and OSCE Office in
Yerevan, aimed at fostering public participation in decision-making on environmental
matters.

We state that the decision on doubling the water intake from Lake
Sevan has been adopted by the RA Government and the RA National Assembly
without a comprehensive study and scientific justification for the demand of
water, without assessing possible damages to the environment as a result of
such a measure as well as without adequate notification and engagement of
stakeholders, including residents of coastal communities. This decision
violates RA Constitution Article 10, RA Water Code Article 5, RA Law on Lake
Sevan Article 11, RA Law on Environmental Impact Assessment Article 15 and UN
Economic Commission for Europe Aarhus Convention on Access to Information,
Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental
Matters Articles 4, 7, 8.

We condemn the environment-related policies run by RA authorities
and believe that they do not comply with their obligations prescribed by the RA
Constitution on ensuring environmental protection, recovery as well as rational
use of natural resources.

We demand

• to immediately restore in the
  RA Law on "Approval of Annual and Complex Measures on Conservation,
  Restoration, Reproduction, and Use of the Ecosystem of Lake Sevan" the
  maximal 170 million cubic meters water intake threshold, which has been
  established based on perennial research of scientific-research institutes rather
  than suspicious reasons given by a couple of institutions;
• to reveal and publicize the
  causes of water scarcity in Ararat Valley and
  the ways how the water of Azat and Aparan reservoirs has been spent in
  2008,
• to undertake immediate actions
  on demolishing illegal constructions on the lakeside, organizing thorough
  cleanup of the shores and preparing those for the rise of the level of the
  lake;
• to reveal the
  violations of RA legislation and to call to account those guilty, in particular
  the officials and others involved in corrupt transactions.

We
inform that for us, the undersigned organizations,
which represent the active stratum of the civil society, it would be possible to
collaborate on environmental issues with relevant state bodies of the Republic
of Armenia if:

• we do receive an appropriate
  response to our aforementioned demands;
• we get convinced that in environment-related
  decision-making the RA Government demonstrates political will and acts in
  compliance with the RA legislation and international commitments;
• we become confident that state
  bodies, indeed, take proper account of the NGOs' opinions and comments rather
  than making their participation a futile imitation.

96 civil society organizations has signed the statement.