What Dangers Are Posed by the Supply of 85 Percent of Internet Traffic to Armenia by an Azerbaijani

Ani Samsonyan, a member of the "Luminary Armenia" faction of the National Assembly, has made a post on her Facebook page addressing reports that an Azerbaijani national, Nasib Hasanov, has become the owner of the company that supplies 85 percent of Armenia's internet traffic.

Georgian media have reported that Nasib Hasanov has purchased the remaining 51 percent stake in "Caucasus Online". It is also noted that he previously acquired a 49 percent share of the company. This Georgian company provides 85 percent of internet traffic in Armenia, 50 percent in Azerbaijan, and 55 percent in Georgia.

These reports have raised concerns among the Armenian public that the acquisition of a large stake by a representative of an adversarial state may pose problems for the Republic of Armenia. I have formally contacted the Ministry of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia to clarify the accuracy of this information and any potential security issues it may create for the country.