Does Russia attempt to silence Armenia?
“Armenia’s economic indices are obvious, and the PM himself stated on it, saying that our economy is in a hard condition. And regarding its becoming a Eurasian integration center, sincerely, I don’t imagine what it means. That formulation isn’t clear. How can Armenia become an integration center? It’s supposed that Armenia is the most developed, the most dominant technologically, and powerful as economy. It’s a statement either pursuing a propagandistic purpose or maybe we understood improperly, as I really don’t know what it means—Armenia as an integration center,” Doctor in Economics Ashot Yeghiazaryan, told 168.am, commenting on the statement by Russian presidential advisor Sergey Glazyev at the Forum of the Eurasian Partnership, that after Armenia’s membership to EEU, its economy is recording “influential indices” and may become a Eurasian integration center.
According to him both the statement by Russian president Vladimir Putin on 10% GDP growth and this statement by Glazev maybe have an intention to show that EEU had a beneficial influence on Armenia and it can’t reason that it records failure, appeared at a deadlock and is urged to make a choice and sign the framework agreement with the EU, is urged to pursue simpler, independent policy with Iran, and if such arguments are brought, they may give theirs.
Reflecting to the statement by the first Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, that Armenia faces the threat of default, A.Yeghiazaryan, stated what purpose it may pursue, “It’s not clear to me that Levon Ter-Petrosyan expresses such an opinion, anyway he wasn’t against that Armenia became a EEU member. We all remember his speech. In this context it’s obvious that even default or hard economic condition is a result of that membership and Armenia was isolated due to it, deprived of all possibilities. Maybe by that statement Ter-Petrosyan intends to show that the country’s condition is hard, maybe it’s addressed to certain audience inside or outside, I can’t say for the time being. However, probably there is some political pretext. However, at the same time, it’s not so far from the reality, and regarding state debt service our condition is hard, and even officials touch upon it. And not accidentally, in the next year’s budget expenditures have been shortened by 100 billion for the purpose, that at least volumes of external debt were reduced, as we were filling the gap of financial resources on account of the debt.”
By Gayane Khachatryan
