ARMENIA NEEDS ALTERNATIVE WAY FOR EXPORT – RAFFI MKHCHYAN

14:51 * 25.02.15

Chairman of the Union of Exporters of Armenia Raffi Mkhchyan points
out a decline in Armenia’s exports primarily because of the situation
in Russia, which is Armenia’s strategic partner.

The second cause is the daily declining population, labor force and
number of specialists.

“No essential changes have been observed since before Armenia’s
accession to the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). Such changes would be
possible if relevant surveys had been conducted in Armenia. We have
no domestic production, we have to re-operate our production shops
and modernize our economy. We can increase our exports when we have
sufficient essential agricultural produce, but exports are not large
either,” Mr Mkhchyan said.

Armenia joined the EEU just about two months ago and great expectations
would be too much.

Armenia continues exporting products to Russia it has to date been
exporting.

“We have to wait to see weak and strong points of the Eurasian
Economic Union. But one thing is clear: we need an alternative way
for exports. We cannot gain high profits by using Lars alone.”