Cognac Cannot Be Produced in Armenia, Says Nikol Pashinyan

Armenia's economy must comply with international standards, as practices that fall outside of these standards limit the country's sovereignty. This statement was made by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during the government's question and answer session, addressing complaints from businesses and discussing his meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.

The Prime Minister recalled that he has been urging businesses to adhere to standards since 2018. “In 2018, I said you must comply with the standards, stop. Listen, why should I, for example, go to an international organization or on an international visit, an esteemed producer organization request a meeting with me, and I think, they might want to invest, but instead, they come and say, ‘your country is counterfeiting our product.’ What should I do?” Pashinyan said.

According to him, one of Armenia's problems is that certain businesses are based not on quality or legality, but rather on superficial titles, which harms the country's reputation. “Cognac cannot be produced in Armenia. Just as in Dilijan, Jurmuk cannot be produced, and Champagne cannot be produced in Armenia, do you understand?” the Prime Minister emphasized.

Pashinyan also added that products not in compliance with standards jeopardize the country's independence: “The existence of products that do not meet standards is a lever to limit our sovereignty,” he stated.