Even with the Greatest Reservations, Lithuania Cannot Be Considered a Trade Partner of Armenia: 'Hraparak'

Why has Nikol Pashinyan made an official visit to Lithuania? The press is attempting to find various answers—from 'to spite the Russians' to 'it’s a NATO-patron country' to 'he went where he was invited, just to travel'. Even more surprising or unclear is why Pashinyan emphasized the importance of expanding Armenian-Lithuanian trade and economic ties during his meeting with Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrid Šimonytė.

The fact is that we have no trade with Lithuania. Even with the greatest reservations, Lithuania cannot be considered a trade partner of Armenia.

The development of cooperation in various directions, as the Prime Minister speaks of, is simply absurd, as Lithuania's main trade occurs via ports and maritime routes. According to statistical data, mainly fish products and canned fish come from Lithuania to Armenia. In return, we only send about 5-6 thousand bottles of brandy to Lithuania each year.

The trade turnover between the two countries has not exceeded 10 million dollars per year at best, which is an insignificant figure. Moreover, in 2020, according to the National Statistical Service data, our trade turnover with Lithuania was 8 million 600 thousand dollars, whereas this year it has sharply decreased; in the past ten months, we have traded only 3 million dollars with Lithuania, and it may turn out that the cost of Pashinyan's trip is more than the trade with Lithuania.

The full article can be read in today’s edition of the newspaper.