Russian deputy PM threatens Armenia with 'reassessment of economic policy'

The intensification of discussions in Armenia about rapprochement with the EU cost trade with Russia $6 billion. If things continue like this, Moscow will have to reassess its economic policy towards Yerevan, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said in an interview with TASS, Report informs.

He specified that last year, bilateral trade between Russia and Armenia amounted to $12.4 billion, and this year it is expected to exceed $6 billion.

"That is, the cost of these conversations alone for Armenia's trade turnover amounted to $6 billion... It is Armenia's right to decide where it should be. But they also understand that then the tariff regime for them will be different, then we will not have free movement of goods between our countries, and there will be no duty-free trade. This could hit producers in Armenia quite hard, especially agricultural producers," Overchuk emphasized.

At the same time, the deputy prime minister admitted that "Armenia will get something from the EU, some new markets will open up for it." "There could be many consequences, they need to be understood and assessed. This is a very bad scenario, first of all for ordinary people, we do not want it, and therefore we are openly talking about it," he added.