I don`t think we should demonize Veolia Jur-Prime Minister

ArmInfo.  There are numerous issues in our procedures and approaches regarding water that  we must address. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made this  statement during a press-briefing on April 30, when commenting  on  the recent water poisoning incident in Byureghavan.

He called for a systemic overhaul of Armenia's water management  system rather than placing sole blame on the national operator.  According to Pashinyan,  many issues stem from a misalignment between  current local approaches and the original contractual agreements  signed with the operator.

Regarding the specific incident in  Byureghavan, Pashinyan noted that  it will be investigated within the framework of the law and in  accordance with established procedures, and those responsible will be  held accountable. He also expressed hope that the quality of  cooperation with Veolia Jur would improve, requiring certain steps.  Pashinyan noted that Armenia  has yet to fully leverage the expertise  of a global leader like Veolia. "I don't think we should demonize  Veolia Jur," he noted. "We brought them into a system that was worn  out and practically destroyed. We need to understand our readiness to  invest in this system and how those investments will be recovered.  Our investments must yield tangible results," the prime minister  said.

It should be noted that cases of water poisoning were reported in  Byureghavan several days earlier. For several days, the city has seen  numerous ambulance calls due to complaints of nausea, vomiting, and  fever.

Veolia Jur is the single water supply and sanitation operator in  Yerevan and the regions of Armenia, a subsidiary of France's Veolia  Generale des Eaux. The company has managed the system since 2017  under a 15-year concession agreement. -0-