Worrying information is coming from Russia. The federal service for the control of alcohol and tobacco markets, “Rosalkogoltobackontrol”, after an unplanned inspection of imported cognac samples, filed a lawsuit against “Proshyan Cognac Factory” with the demand of depriving the latter of its license to export to the Russian market. The reasoning is that they supplied products that do not meet the standards and technical parameters.

Violations were discovered, which became the basis for depriving the company of its license. The case is already in the arbitration court.

The problems related to the quality of some types of Armenian brandy delivered to the Russian market are certainly not new, they have been discussed many times, and sometimes temporary restrictions have been imposed, but the issue has never reached the point of depriving the license. The situation seems to have escalated especially after some hot heads started to declare that they can do without the Russian market without giving an account.

At the moment, there is talk about possible restrictions on the export of brandy to the Russian market. However, the problem is not only brandy, many other products face the same problem.

But everything in order.

What recently happened in Moscow was a surprise for the rulers of Armenia, who have been talking to Russia for a long time. Nikol Pashinyan, who requested the reception of the Russian President, hoped with that meeting not only to receive the support of the Russian authorities in the elections, or at least to create such an impression, but also to solve a number of complicated issues, including the sale of the railway concession management. But what happened was unexpected for many.

After the meeting, as much as Nikol Pashinyan tried to dispel the gloomy impressions and declared that the Moscow visit was successful, it is obvious that it was far from being so.  Nikol Pashinyan, who enjoys the support of the West, has lost confidence in Moscow and, as in the previous elections, he can hardly expect the support of the Russian authorities in these elections.

The Moscow visit was also unsuccessful in that it was not possible to reach an agreement on the sale of the railway concession. Russia openly stated that there is no reason to refuse the concession.

Even after that statement, although Nikol Pashinyan continues to insist that the negotiations are going on, it is clear that this is for the purpose of saving face. It is true that the railway concession management contract provides an opportunity to solve it unilaterally, but it is not in Armenia’s interests. This will not only worsen the relations with the Russian authorities, but Armenia will also have to pay a large fine for terminating the concession contract ahead of schedule. Only 30 billion rubles of investments are being talked about, which is equivalent to almost 400 million dollars.

Instead of giving up the concession, Russia is even ready to undertake the restoration of some parts of the railway. Although it does not seem to fit into Nikol Pashinyan’s plans. He would rather that Russia renounce it, so that he would have a reason to raise the issue of challenging the obligations stipulated in the concession agreement. But that didn’t happen either. And now a very uncomfortable situation has been created. on the one hand, Nikol Pashinyan’s western sponsors demand that he take back the management of the railway from the Russians, on the other hand, the Russians do not intend to give it up voluntarily. This situation is not in the interests of Armenia, but it is what the country was faced with.

And it is not only in the issue of the railway that it is so. Concerns are in many places, including the future uninterrupted operation of the nuclear power plant, as well as the extension of the future operation dates.

Most likely, very soon the manufacturers will also face difficulties in exporting some products. The warning of the head of “Rosselkhoznadzor” was about that, that the complaints against the products of plant and animal origin supplied from Armenia to Russia, which arose a few years ago, persist.

“The variety and quantity of products that are received from Armenia gives reason to assume that not all of them are of Armenian origin. We dealt with this problem both in 2024 and in 2023,” said the head of “Rosselkhoznadzor” Sergey Dankwert, emphasizing that the facilitation of access to markets within the EAEU led to an illogical increase in supplies. In another way, taking advantage of this situation, goods from other countries are supplied to Russia through Armenia, which are presented under the Armenian name.

“Within three years, Armenia has increased the supply of flowers from 36 million to more than 100 million pieces. A large amount of products sent to Russia do not reach their intended destinations.

In addition, about 900 quarantine objects were found in the cargo received from Armenia, which significantly complicates the work,” says the head of “Rosselkhoznadzor”.

This problem existed last year as well. Then it was announced that it was resolved. Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan said that we justified and assured that the flowers are Armenian, that they are grown in Armenian greenhouses, the volumes and possibilities of which have significantly increased. But, as we can see, the Russian side does not really believe in those justifications and assurances.

Suspicions related to the supply of goods of non-Armenian origin from Armenia do not only concern flowers.

“We have seen deliveries of untraceable products, such as: cream butter, cheeses, trout,” says the head of “Rosselkhoznadzor”, reminding that the trout of the mountain rivers of Armenia cannot in any way be similar to the Norwegian one.

HAKOB KOCHARYAN

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