SHUSHA, Azerbaijan, December 13. Azerbaijanis participating in the protests of representatives of local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) near Shusha, close to the post of Russian peacekeeping contingent temporarily stationed there, chanted the slogan "No to environmental terror!",Trend reports from the scene.
The protesters demand the arrival of Andrey Volkov, commander of the Russian peacekeeping contingent.
The action is being held for the second straight day against the inadmissibility of Azerbaijani specialists to the territory, to monitor the illegal exploitation of deposits in the area.
Previously, following the negotiations with the Russian peacekeepers' command on December 3 and 7, 2022, a group of experts from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the State Property Service under the Ministry of Economy, and AzerGold CJSC on December 10, was going to begin the preliminary monitoring in accordance with the illegal exploitation of mineral deposits, as well as the emerging environmental and other consequences of this on the territory of Azerbaijan.
It was planned to inspect the environmental conditions at the 'Gizilbulagh' gold deposit and the 'Damirli' copper-molybdenum deposit, monitor various areas, organize cadastral property records, assess potential risks and threats to the environment, as well as to underground and surface water sources.
However, despite the group's arrival, accompanied by Russian peacekeepers, in the monitoring area, it faced provocations. The planned initial inspection and monitoring did not take place due to the fact that the Russian peacekeepers not only did not create necessary conditions and prevented for the entire process to carry on.