By Trend

Representatives of Azerbaijan's non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been holding peaceful protest rally near Shusha, close to the post of Russian peacekeepers, who are temporarily stationed in the area, for the fifth day, Trend reports from the scene.

The main demands of the peaceful protesters are the arrival of the commander of Russian peacekeepers Andrey Volkov, the creation of the necessary conditions for monitoring by Azerbaijani specialists, the cessation of environmental terror by Armenians on Azerbaijani lands, the establishment of the individual border and customs control posts on the border with Armenia in the Lachin direction, and the ban of the illegal transportation of weapons into the territory Azerbaijan.

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 but also prevented for the entire process to carry on.