Which Sectors Will Suffer from the Opening of the Armenia-Turkey Border

The President of the Union of Employers of Armenia, Gagik Makaryan, has stated that the short-term opening of the border with Turkey presents global risks for Armenia, and several sectors in the country will significantly suffer.

“Globally, the short-term opening of the border is risky for Armenia; however, in the long term, these risks may decrease as new circumstances may arise. If the border with Turkey opens, several sectors in Armenia will be severely affected, including the production of construction materials, construction, agriculture, hospitality, and real estate businesses,” Makaryan said.

He also pointed out that the West would be pleased if the Armenia-Turkey border were to open, but they aim to reduce Russia's influence in the region, and Armenia must carefully weigh this issue and not rush into decisions.

“There is another issue. Turkey unilaterally closed its border in 1993 due to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict; now that this issue is off the agenda, why does it continue to remain closed and why are preconditions being imposed?” added Makaryan.

The President of the Union of Employers emphasized that Armenia must be able to assess its situation and agree to open the border only when appropriate guarantees are in place.

Addressing external trade with Turkey, the expert emphasized that it is minimal: in 2023, imports amounted to $336 million, while exports were only $6.4 million. Unofficial statistics suggest a slightly different picture, as when goods are exported through third countries, that figure reaches $30 million.