Armenian opposition politician blames government for export crisis amid Russia trade disruptions

A senior Armenian opposition politician has accused Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government of mishandling the country’s economic and foreign policy strategy, arguing that recent disruptions affecting exports to Russia are exposing the consequences of years of policy contradictions.

Levon Zurabyan, deputy chairman of the opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) and the party’s candidate for prime minister, said on Monday many Armenian exporters are facing severe financial difficulties following restrictions that have affected the flow of goods to Russia, Armenia’s largest trading partner.

“A very difficult situation has emerged, and many of our exporters have found themselves in a serious predicament, moving toward bankruptcy,” he said.

Zurabyan argued that while Pashinyan’s government has for years promoted closer ties with the European Union, Armenia’s economy has become increasingly dependent on Russia during the same period.

Citing trade figures, he said Russia’s share of Armenia’s exports rose from 27% in 2018 to 47% in 2022, despite the government’s stated commitment to pursuing European integration.

“If the objective was to move toward Europe, then it was this government that failed to build the economic foundations for that course,” Zurabyan said. “The policies pursued produced the opposite result.”

According to Zurabyan, the country’s growing reliance on the Russian market has left Armenian businesses particularly vulnerable to trade disruptions and political tensions, contributing to the difficulties currently faced by exporters.

He described the situation as the result of a “miscalculated” government strategy, arguing that the administration had weakened Armenia’s prospects for European integration while deepening its economic dependence on Russia.