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KHOSROV STILL IN CONTROVERSY: ENVIRONMENTALISTS QUESTION NEW DIRECTOR'S CREDENTIALS
By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow
28.11.12 | 13:34
Karen Manvelyan (left) and Arman Vermishyan
Armenian branches of two major international environmental
organizations are demanding that the Ministry of Environmental
Protection annul the selection results for filling the vacant position
of Khosrov preserve-museum's director and announce a new competition
for the job. Leaders of the green organizations stated they are
stopping indefinitely their financial support to the preserve.
Enlarge Photo
At issue is the placement of a new director who, critics say, is
himself a hunter with questionable credentials for protecting the
vulnerable species that inhabit the preserve.
"Khosrov preserve is not only an area under special protection, but
also a scientific research center. Hence, the person in charge has to
have the highest relevant academic background, vision, publications,
and meet a number of other criteria, whereas the newly-appointed
director of Khosrov Preserve doesn't. The same can happen to other
preserves and reserves, that is why it's pointless to invest money
when who knows how it will be used," says director of World Wildlife
Fund Armenia Karen Manvelyan.
After the dismissal of director Varantsov Barseghyan on October 18,
the ministry announced the vacancy with November 7 as the deadline
for submitting applications. One of the three applicants Gabriel
Poghosyan was selected.
Arman Vermishyan, national coordinator at Caucasus Nature Fund
(CNF) in Armenia, who was present at the selection process, said
Poghosyan doesn't meet a number of criteria stated in the law on
state non-commercial organizations.
"So someone who has taken courses for security guards at some
God-forsaken place [he says Kingbungtu] can also have ambitions for
becoming the director of Khosrov preserve, if that position is now
held by Gabriel Poghosyan, graduate of the department of commodity
research at Rostov State University," says Vermishyan.
Over the past three years CNF has invested in the preserve more than
210,000 euros. Another 40,000 was planned to be invested in late 2012
to be followed by a new quarter-based funding project. Since 2006,
WWF-Armenia has invested half a million US dollars and was planning
to continue funding through the coming year.
Haykakan Zhamanak oppositional daily writes that Poghosyan, better
known by his nickname Nono, is buddies with Speaker of Parliamenet
Hovik Abrahamyan and his brother. He is also said to be fond of
hunting.
Environmental activists (Yeghia Nersisyan, Mary Khachatryan, Anna
Shahnazaryan) claim Poghosyan is "a well-known poacher".
WWF's Manvelyan says in Armenia everybody knows who is who and who's
backing, who comes from where.
"And that person, who used to be a hunter, even if he wants to keep a
preserve, he won't be able to, because first of all he lacks proper
academic background, and second, his circle of acquaintances won't
let him. There are many people he can't refuse and 'shut the door'
in front of them," he says.
After the selection process was over Poghosyan said he likes animals
very much and last time he hunted was 12 years ago and the only thing
he hunted was quail.
"We are not poachers, we are poacher punishers," he said.
WWF-Armenia and CNF-Armenia leaders have voiced a warning that
if the ministry does not annul the selection results and does not
announce the vacancy again, they will turn to the board members of
their respective organizations, who in turn are representatives of
a number of international structures.
The minister will announce his decision in two days.
Meanwhile, the ministry has released a statement in which the demand
to hold a new competition is regarded as "exceeding their commission".
"They are no more than agents of those organizations, their
contractors, and are not authorized to reconsider the relationship
between those organizations and the ministry," says the statement. "In
the nearest future the ministry, regardless of further developments
with the competition, will make a judgment viewing the environmental
organizations' statement as a failed attempt at interfering with the
ministry's internal matters."
By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow
28.11.12 | 13:34
Karen Manvelyan (left) and Arman Vermishyan
Armenian branches of two major international environmental
organizations are demanding that the Ministry of Environmental
Protection annul the selection results for filling the vacant position
of Khosrov preserve-museum's director and announce a new competition
for the job. Leaders of the green organizations stated they are
stopping indefinitely their financial support to the preserve.
Enlarge Photo
At issue is the placement of a new director who, critics say, is
himself a hunter with questionable credentials for protecting the
vulnerable species that inhabit the preserve.
"Khosrov preserve is not only an area under special protection, but
also a scientific research center. Hence, the person in charge has to
have the highest relevant academic background, vision, publications,
and meet a number of other criteria, whereas the newly-appointed
director of Khosrov Preserve doesn't. The same can happen to other
preserves and reserves, that is why it's pointless to invest money
when who knows how it will be used," says director of World Wildlife
Fund Armenia Karen Manvelyan.
After the dismissal of director Varantsov Barseghyan on October 18,
the ministry announced the vacancy with November 7 as the deadline
for submitting applications. One of the three applicants Gabriel
Poghosyan was selected.
Arman Vermishyan, national coordinator at Caucasus Nature Fund
(CNF) in Armenia, who was present at the selection process, said
Poghosyan doesn't meet a number of criteria stated in the law on
state non-commercial organizations.
"So someone who has taken courses for security guards at some
God-forsaken place [he says Kingbungtu] can also have ambitions for
becoming the director of Khosrov preserve, if that position is now
held by Gabriel Poghosyan, graduate of the department of commodity
research at Rostov State University," says Vermishyan.
Over the past three years CNF has invested in the preserve more than
210,000 euros. Another 40,000 was planned to be invested in late 2012
to be followed by a new quarter-based funding project. Since 2006,
WWF-Armenia has invested half a million US dollars and was planning
to continue funding through the coming year.
Haykakan Zhamanak oppositional daily writes that Poghosyan, better
known by his nickname Nono, is buddies with Speaker of Parliamenet
Hovik Abrahamyan and his brother. He is also said to be fond of
hunting.
Environmental activists (Yeghia Nersisyan, Mary Khachatryan, Anna
Shahnazaryan) claim Poghosyan is "a well-known poacher".
WWF's Manvelyan says in Armenia everybody knows who is who and who's
backing, who comes from where.
"And that person, who used to be a hunter, even if he wants to keep a
preserve, he won't be able to, because first of all he lacks proper
academic background, and second, his circle of acquaintances won't
let him. There are many people he can't refuse and 'shut the door'
in front of them," he says.
After the selection process was over Poghosyan said he likes animals
very much and last time he hunted was 12 years ago and the only thing
he hunted was quail.
"We are not poachers, we are poacher punishers," he said.
WWF-Armenia and CNF-Armenia leaders have voiced a warning that
if the ministry does not annul the selection results and does not
announce the vacancy again, they will turn to the board members of
their respective organizations, who in turn are representatives of
a number of international structures.
The minister will announce his decision in two days.
Meanwhile, the ministry has released a statement in which the demand
to hold a new competition is regarded as "exceeding their commission".
"They are no more than agents of those organizations, their
contractors, and are not authorized to reconsider the relationship
between those organizations and the ministry," says the statement. "In
the nearest future the ministry, regardless of further developments
with the competition, will make a judgment viewing the environmental
organizations' statement as a failed attempt at interfering with the
ministry's internal matters."