Operations of the Tavush Regional Department of the EcoPatrol Service of the Ministry of Environment have been officially launched in Tavush Province.
Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, representatives of legislative and executive bodies, as well as local self-government authorities attended the event.
Welcoming the participants, the Prime Minister noted that Tavush is the second province, after Syunik Province, where the EcoPatrol Service has commenced operations. He emphasized that the process will be continuous, describing it as a new stage for Armenia in fostering environmental awareness and strengthening environmental stewardship. “Our forests have protected us in difficult times; now it is our turn to protect our forests, but in a different sense and with a new approach,” the Prime Minister stated.
Minister Hambardzum Matevosyan noted in his remarks that the establishment of the EcoPatrol Service reflects the Government’s commitment to transforming the environmental control system into a modern, effective and preventive mechanism. A new model is being introduced in which the state not only responds to violations, but also develops effective mechanisms for their prevention.
Tavush Province, as one of the most forested and biodiversity-rich regions of Armenia, holds particular importance in this process. The full operation of the service here is seen not only as the establishment of a new institutional structure, but also as the development of a new culture of nature conservation.