On 22 January, the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced the delay of a ban on home slaughter of livestock in Armenia being enforced until 1 July 2020, reported the Armenian Radio Free Europe. 

Pashinyan acknowledged the protests of the livestock farmers in the country and pointed to a lack of abattoirs operating in Armenia. But he said that the abattoir shortage is the result of the authorities’ reluctance to ban home butchery until now. “In the last one and a half years we have twice approved such delays,” complained Pashinyan. “People want to invest money but then think: ‘Maybe I will spend money and built a slaughterhouse and then find out that the government has annulled this requirement,” he said.

He also announced that the government will be subsidizing loans and offer other financial incentives to business people willing to build abattoirs. But, he said, this will be conditional on cattle farmers dropping their objections to the more “civilized” form of butchery. “The sale of meat lying on the asphalt in anti-hygienic conditions must be banned in Armenia. It does not only relate to health issues but is the issue of the country’s standard credit. Our dear compatriots who are complaining against it have justified arguments and one of them is that we do not have enough slaughterhouses,” he said.

He also stressed that a consultation was convened today, and instructions have been given according to which by 6 February the government will revise all the ways for creating the best conditions for building slaughterhouses.

The ban on home slaughter of livestock in Armenia entered into force on 15 January. Many of the affected farmers strongly opposed the new requirement, saying that it places a heavy financial burden on them, resulting in protests in the country (Caucasus Watch reported).