While Armenian political forces are unfolding their campaigns ahead of the May 6 elections to the National Assembly, there is also a growing civil movement that centers not only around environmental issues, but also around the question of the legitimacy of oligarchic property.

The protests of young environmentalists against the construction of kiosks in a central Yerevan park have been going on for nearly two months now. A “senior” group of protesters joined the young campaigners on March 31 – among them some well-known figures in Armenia. The group tried to dismantle the already installed pavilions, but the police cordoned off the constructions and would not let them get closer to them.

The Ministry of Nature Protection of Armenia reports that the works of creating a wildlife friendly park on the Iran-Armenia border will start in early April.

The news about the park was released by Iran’s official IRNA news agency, quoting Sadig Najaf, Director of the Araz free economic zone, Iran: “The project is aimed at advocating wild-life in the region. Besides, the park will present the eco-tourism possibilities of the two countries.”

Environmentalists express their concerns over plans for an open-pit iron mining operation as close as only 650 meters to the central Armenian town of Hrazdan (in the Kotayk province), which can cause pollution with heavy metal residue and, consequently, bring forth a number of life-threatening diseases among the local population. One of Armenia’s best recreation areas will be at risk, they warn.

Environmental activists protesting the construction of kiosks in a Yerevan park have reportedly set a date for their action to dismantle the facilities with their own forces.

Some 50 or so environmental activists organized a picket in Vanadzor, Lori province on March 23 while Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan held a public discussion over the Teghut forest controversy.

A few days ago under the decision made by the Government of Armenia, a working group was created to organize a public discussion over the ‘Program of Teghut Copper and Molybdenum Mine Development’.

Authorities in Yerevan have until Friday to dismantle the kiosks in a public garden or see environmentalists take the matter into their own hands, according to a verdict passed by a green “public court” in Mashtots Park Tuesday.

The young environmental activists fighting against the installment of kiosks in Mashtots Park demand that the Yerevan municipality publish the names of the developers.

Yerevan city authorities gave the owners of the kiosks dismantled from Abovyan Street permission to relocate their property to the park near Yerevan’s main thoroughfare, Mashtots Boulevard, as compensation. They say the measure is temporary and the kiosks will later be dismantled when reconstruction projects for this zone are realized.

The two-week-long protest of Greens against the kiosks being installed at Mashtots Park, downtown Yerevan, has received large public resonance involving various political forces which simply speak for or against.

Opinions have been voiced among the government circles that the issue is needlessly being politicized, accusing environmentalist protestors of attempts to justify the grants received from international organizations.

A public park in central Yerevan remained cordoned off by police on Tuesday morning after a group of environmental protesters interfered with the construction of a pavilion there as part of their weeklong campaign against what they view as illegal area development.