The Ararat Cement plant is resuming operations following discussions between Deputy Minister of Economy Edgar Zakaryan and the plant's management.
Zakaryan informed reporters that the plant is beginning to return to normal operations, and technical obstacles will be resolved in the coming hours.
“The plant is now starting its operations. We hope that in a few hours, the minor technical obstacles will be resolved, and it will operate in full mode from tomorrow,” Zakaryan said.
Employees of Ararat Cement had been protesting since early morning against the temporary suspension of the plant's operations.
Ararat Cement is owned by businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, the leader of the Prosperous Armenia party, who is currently detained on charges of fraud and money laundering.
The Deputy Minister of Economy noted that the purpose of his visit was to understand how to organize the process so that legal procedures do not hinder production. He emphasized that Ararat Cement is a strategically important facility and that efforts should be made to ensure that the plant's operations are not disrupted.
On July 6, law enforcement agencies conducted searches at Tsarukyan's residence and around 70 other addresses belonging to him. As part of the criminal case, the operations of several enterprises owned by Tsarukyan, including Ararat Cement, were temporarily suspended.
Earlier, the Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia had issued statements regarding violations found in the privatization of Ararat Cement, as well as in the acquisition of land plots and a health resort owned by the company.
