The construction of the smelter plant in Yeraskh is temporarily halted but will resume after clarifying several technical issues with authorized bodies, GTB Steel CEO Tiran Hakobyan told reporters.
GTB Steel is building the steelworks in Yeraskh which came under Azerbaijani gunfire on June 14. Two construction workers were wounded in the shooting.
“Of course we are worried about the incident, but there’s no panic. We are in the sovereign territory of Armenia, we are resolute in our activities, we will not stop and we will continue to work”, Hakobyan said.
The fact that equipment and workers are targeted means that Azerbaijan seeks to disrupt the construction of the plant, he added.
“The reason is clear, they don’t want Armenia to become economically stronger. While our factory will have a rather large investment in the Armenian economy. After completing construction the plant will produce approximately 200-250 thousand tons of rebar annually from black steel, and Armenia will be the main consumer. We view Middle Eastern countries as a market as well”, Hakobyan said.
