Tigran Sargsyan explains Armenia’s integration with Customs Union
PM Tigran Sargsyan has found an answer to the question why he used to object to Armenia’s integration with Customs Union because of lack of common border with Russia, and now he is actively involved in promotion of integration policy with the Customs Union.
In a recent parliamentary session PA representative Vahagn Moukhsadyan asked the PM what had changed in his policy that resulted in his announcement in Saint Petersburg stating that Armenia is interested in integration with the Customs Union.
Tigran Sargsyan said that the Customs Union would have mechanisms enabling Armenia’s import and export without crossing borders of third countries, which would support integration. According to him, customs documents issued by Armenia would be acceptable for Russian customs services, thus products imported through Georgia’s territory would not be subject to customs clearance. This would help to cut down costs for businesses.
Transit transportation is not an innovation and it cannot be something for granted in the Customs Union. It is expected that in case of joining the customs Union the Armenian and Russian governments will have to recognize each other’s documents and allow import and export without customs clearance. In a word, Tigran Sargsyan did not say anything new, and he could say the same thing even three months ago, when he was opposing to the possibility of integration with the Customs Union.
Before September 3 all Armenian high ranking officials were committed to integration with Europe and the Association agreement as the president was committed to the same policy, too.
The situation changed on September 3rd, when president Sargsyan announced about Armenia’s intention to integrate with the Customs Union and signed a document for that purpose. Following this announcement all high ranking officials in Armenia, the Prime-Minister including, became strong followers of the Customs Union. Even it turned out that the Armenian government had been in negotiation with the Customs Union during the past year and mechanisms had been discussed to ease trade in the condition of no common borders. Maybe Armenia negotiated with Europe openly and with the Customs Union confidentially to prevent any obstacles on the way to integration with the Customs Union.
This change in attitudes of high ranking officials is natural because if any of them continued the same way after the president’s announcement, they would have to either resign or would be made to resign. Is there any official in Armenia that would drop his/her position because of the Customs Union or Europe? No. Every official knows that he/she should do anything to retain the post. If the president changes his mind and tomorrow announces that he wants to resume the negotiation with Europe, all high ranking officials will change their policies and start praising European integration again.
In other words, we cannot be sure that Armenia is definite in joining the Customs Union. Maybe now they are confidentially negotiating with Europe.
By Avetis Babajanyan
