Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF) will resume funding of Khosrov reserve after Nature Protection Ministry has not reappointed Gabriel Poghosyan in the office of the director of the reserve, Fund’s coordinator Arman Vermishyan told Tert.am.

“International organizations make such statements in extreme cases and it was not easy for us to do so as the Nature Protection Ministry was our main partner. With such statement we just demonstrated the critical situation in the reserve,” he said. Recently, the Fund has stated about suspension of funding of the reserve agreed with possibility of Poghosyan’s re-approval in the post.

Vermishyan also elaborated on how the Fund’s budget is being formed. “An annual budget is being formed for a specially preserved territory, in parallel to it the ministry and the territory propose a budget we are to finance. We are working 50/50 – 50% funding is ensured by the state budget, we are funding the other expenses of the mentioned territory,” he said, explaining that with the expenses he means the ones connected with the preservation of the territory, scientific works, some capital expenses like restoration of buildings, buying of car, etc.

The Fund’s coordinator said they had a three-year long program with Khosrov reserve costing 250,000 euros. “The 220,000 euros were provided by August 2012. In August the rest was to be provided but the provision of the assistance was delayed because of some reasons and as far as the problem has come forth, we decided to suspend the second provision,” he said.

The Fund was also planning to implement a new three-year long program costing 200,000 euros. “We have suspended it too. Now we will resume financing, transferring the money envisaged for 2012 and more probably will approve the mid-term program for the reserve. Next year as well we expect to work out a three-year long program,” he said.

Vermishyan noted he hopes that prepared candidates will participate in the competition and the really best for the reserve will win. He said they are so much concerned with the issue as Khosrov reserve is number 1 specially preserved territory for Armenia.