Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Armenia Yervand Zakharyan met with the former employees of the Nairit Plant who were picketing the Government building on June 9.
The minister promised to pay the arrears of wages by late July 2015.
Nevertheless, the picketers demanded a meeting with Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan who earlier promised to announce the terms for paying the arrears after the results of the audit of the plant become available.
"Anyway, we will hold another action of protest outside the Government building on Thursday," said Anush Haroutiunyan, the former spokesperson of the plant.
The arrears of wages have reached 5.7 billion drams, exclusive of social payments and income tax. 1,700 employees of Nairit Plant were fired on Feb 6. A total of 478 employees remain at the Plant now. Nairit Plant has been idle since April 2010. The Plant's shares were given as security against the CIS InterStateBank's 70 mln USD loan provided in 2006 for 5 years - till late Dec 2011 - at 12.5% p.a. In 2006, 90% of Nairit Plant's shares were sold to Rhinoville Property Limited (UK). The latter owns an 89,999% stake in the plant, Armenian Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources - 4,496%, Gazprom Armenia CJSC (previously ArmRusgasprom) - 3,596%, and Yerevan Thermal Power Plant - 1,907%.