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Arayik Harutyunyan published exclusive information on the suspension of Magahvuz Coal Mine

Chairman of "Free Homeland" Party, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan on his Facebook page has published exclusive information about the Maghavuz coal mine in the Martakert region.

Arayik Harutyunyan published exclusive information on the suspension of Magahvuz Coal Mine

STEPANAKERT, APRIL 16, ARTSAKHPRESS: Arayik Harutyunyan wrote:

"Dear compatriots, responding to the irresponsible statements made by Artsakh National Assembly deputy Hayk Khanoumyan on the Maghavuz coal mine, as a former prime minister, I will thoroughly touch upon the prehistory of the project so that everyone will know the reality.

Prior to the MP's statement, the project of the Maghavuz coal mine in the Martakert region was one of the non-public projects implemented by the governments of Artsakh and Armenia. Therefore, I would like to take the opportunity to appeal to our political forces, especially the newly-founded and opposing ones, not to put own political interests above the state interest and not take indiscreet steps for attractive statements.

In 2010, when the issue of the increase in the gas price being imported to Armenia was actively discussed, which would have a negative impact on the entire energy system of our homeland, the government of Artsakh Republic started to discuss the issue of exploitation of the Maghavuz coal mine. We have studied the Soviet-era studies, according to which the mine contains about 4 million tons of C1 and C2 and 7 million tons of P1 (another 2 million tons of P2) ore categories.

In the case of extraction and enrichment of ore, it is possible to use it both for solid fuel heating, as well as for getting electricity in Yerevan Thermal Power Plant, adapted for that purpose. As an investor, Hayk Aram Khachatryan applied to us, presenting a relevant investment program. The project had been improved and in 2010 “Hasa LLC” ( later renamed "Hasa Group") was registered in Artsakh.

Hayk Khachatryan has invested billions of dollars in several years, such as organizing additional exploration works, and building a processing plant with modern equipments in the area near the mine. In parallel with it, the Armenian National Polytechnic University has made a study for getting oil from the Maghavuz coal mine.

By the end of 2015, having a positive result in the laboratory conditions and confirming that we can receive more than 400,000 tones or oil worth about 200 million dollars , the university started working out a scheme for its usage, which has been already ready. However, the April war of 2016 has made us to reconsider the issue of exploitation of the Maghavuz coal mine, if the reduction in gas prices was not advantageous for the investor for extraction of ore, then I think the possibility to produce oil should have been tempting.

By the way,I would mention that in Germany, since the 1920s, the technology of receiving oil from coal has already been widely used. It was also produced in large volumes in the South African Republic. At present, this direction is intensively being developed in the Russian Federation that has large oil reserves, and comprises a significant percentage in China's oil industry.

It is noteworthy that coals in Maghavuz mine and China mines have almost the same low caloric value. Therefore, taking into consideration the possibility of war, blockade and other crisis situations, the authorities of Artsakh and Armenia have made a decision to suspend the Maghavuz coal mine as a state reserve. Here we have also learned the lessons of the past.

Those who have a good memory will remember the condition of our compatriots in the 1990s, when the parquet was being used as fuel, and because of the lack of oil products we suffered tremendous difficulties both in military and civilian life. Moreover, we can remember Russian-Georgian war in August of 2008, when oil supplies had been consuming in Armenia. This is the reason why the "Artsakh Investment Fund" has issued low interest rate long-term bonds; the Armenian government has assisted in allocating them. As a result, we have bought it from the investor without spending even 1 AMD from the state budget.

And what refers to my relation with Gagik Bakhtamyan, I would like to mention that this is a regular provocation in this chain. The mentioned person, yes, is my classmate, but he worked at “ Hasa” Group just as an employee of the security service, and in future in order to facilitate the sale deal, Hayk Khachatryan himself chose this format, creating a new company to his name. This is the reality.

In due course I have expressed readiness to give a non-public comment to Hayk Khanoumyan on the issue, but he did not answer.

P.S.

What do we have today ... a company that can provide Artsakh and Armenia in critical situations within days,

• With solid fuel, cost of which will be at least 120 million dollars (multiply 4 million tons by a minimum price; 1 ton by 30 USD ( wood price )

• With liquid fuel, the value of which I have already mentioned will be $ 200 million,

• With electricity, if we move to Yerevan TPP. Thus, we will succeed in making the energy system of our united homeland independent of external factors for a long time.

Now I ask a rhetorical question. Have we done the right thing or not?


     

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