Turkey has been one of Armenia's top 5 trading partners, Tunyan

For 30 years, we have traded with Turkey, despite not having a direct border, but Turkey has been one of Armenia's top 5 trading partners.

This was stated by Babken Tunyan, a deputy from the “Civil Contract” faction in the National Assembly, during a conversation with journalists.

Referring to the claims of opposition lawmakers that the opening of the Armenian-Turkish borders would strangle Armenia's economy and that Turkey would benefit from it alone, Babken Tunyan noted that if we view it in such a manner, then we should close our doors to all countries altogether.

“All those countries that have a larger market than us, have production capabilities, mean that we should isolate ourselves from everyone and produce everything we need locally,” said Babken Tunyan.

He added that even with open borders, there are protective mechanisms in place, and we should focus more on the question of the directions in which we can be competitive, regardless of the size of the country, so that we can carry out our activities without hindrance.

In response to the question of whether a Turkish expansion is expected, Babken Tunyan replied, “I don’t think that a Turkish expansion is expected. In case of such a danger, preventive measures will be taken,” the deputy said.