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Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
Oct 22 2004
Government Pledges To Keep Part Of Famous Yerevan Orchard
By Atom Markarian 22/10/2004 10:59
The government made on Thursday concessions to protesting tenants of
a big fruit grove in the middle of Yerevan, promising to partly
preserve one of the Armenian capital's few remaining green areas.
The famous Dalma Orchards, which serve as the principal source of
income for some 1,800 families, have been at the center of a
controversy ever since a government decision last May to sell most of
its 530 hectares (1,325 acres) to private real estate developers. The
rest of the land was to be handed over to the Hayantar state forestry
agency.
The tenants reacted to the move angrily, branding it unfair and
vowing to fight back eviction attempts. In recent months, they have
regularly staged protests outside President Robert Kocharian's
residence and other government buildings in Yerevan. Local
environmentalists have expressed their solidarity with the
protesters, saying that the break-up of the orchards will deal a
further blow to the city's shrinking green belt.
Speaking to reporters after a weekly cabinet meeting, Yerevan Mayor
Yervand Zakharian said the government decided to preserve 256
hectares of the orchards by allowing tenants to use the land for ten
more years. He indicated that the decision was initiated by
Kocharian.
However, it will affect only 580 families and is therefore certain to
be rejected by most of the other occupants dependent on proceeds from
the sale of fruit grown on the land. They have repeatedly threatened
to resist attempts to deprive them of their main source of revenue.
Oct 22 2004
Government Pledges To Keep Part Of Famous Yerevan Orchard
By Atom Markarian 22/10/2004 10:59
The government made on Thursday concessions to protesting tenants of
a big fruit grove in the middle of Yerevan, promising to partly
preserve one of the Armenian capital's few remaining green areas.
The famous Dalma Orchards, which serve as the principal source of
income for some 1,800 families, have been at the center of a
controversy ever since a government decision last May to sell most of
its 530 hectares (1,325 acres) to private real estate developers. The
rest of the land was to be handed over to the Hayantar state forestry
agency.
The tenants reacted to the move angrily, branding it unfair and
vowing to fight back eviction attempts. In recent months, they have
regularly staged protests outside President Robert Kocharian's
residence and other government buildings in Yerevan. Local
environmentalists have expressed their solidarity with the
protesters, saying that the break-up of the orchards will deal a
further blow to the city's shrinking green belt.
Speaking to reporters after a weekly cabinet meeting, Yerevan Mayor
Yervand Zakharian said the government decided to preserve 256
hectares of the orchards by allowing tenants to use the land for ten
more years. He indicated that the decision was initiated by
Kocharian.
However, it will affect only 580 families and is therefore certain to
be rejected by most of the other occupants dependent on proceeds from
the sale of fruit grown on the land. They have repeatedly threatened
to resist attempts to deprive them of their main source of revenue.