Issues of Weather and Security Persist at Upper Lars, Says Vahan Kerobyan

The throughput issue at Upper Lars continues to be a priority. According to a report by Armenpress, during a briefing with journalists, Armenia's Minister of Economy, Vahan Kerobyan, stated that long lines have formed even now.

"The problem at Upper Lars is weather-related. The availability of ferries and other marine transport is critically necessary. We are aware of this, and we discussed the matter with our Russian counterparts today," Kerobyan noted, adding that the significance of air cargo transportation is also under discussion, with steps being taken in this direction.

"Currently, we have two issues at Upper Lars; one is the weather issue. Every year in winter, traffic is disrupted there. The other issue is security-related, linked to the explosion of the Crimea Bridge," the minister explained, emphasizing that all contracts related to the ferry have been signed, but it is crucial for it to operate physically. "I do not want to specify any timeline; we will wait until the ferry is operational," he stated.

According to Vahan Kerobyan, Armenian companies are now exporting more goods to the Russian Federation, considering that competition in the market has weakened and major international partners have exited the market. "In addition, we are seeing significant opportunities regarding industrial goods, and we are working to make Armenian products more competitive in the Russian market," the minister added.