“If we give the EAEU more than we receive, what does Armenia gain from this union?”: Khachatryan to Papoyan

At a session of a National Assembly committee, Artur Khachatryan, an MP from the Armenia parliamentary faction, asked Gevorg Papoyan, the Minister of Economy, what benefit Armenia gets from EAEU membership if, as the minister presents it, the country gives the union more than it receives.

“If we give more than we receive, that means the EAEU is not benefiting us. Let’s try to understand what the problem is. If things are as you present them, that is, we give more than we receive, then we have a problem regardless of the restrictions,” Khachatryan said.

According to the MP, if Armenia does not enjoy the advantages of EAEU membership but bears its negative consequences, then it is necessary to understand what economic benefit membership in the union brings.

Khachatryan also raised the decision to postpone discussion of the economic dispute by a week, asking why the government had made that decision.

In response, Papoyan said the discussion was postponed so that the issue could be considered at the most convenient moment and in the most suitable circumstances for the government, and to achieve the best possible result.

The minister also said that Armenia contributes a great deal to the EAEU and that, in particular, the country should have received greater compensation on the gas price issue.