Russian Blogger Artemy Lebedev's Harsh Criticism of the Armenian Government

Russian blogger and designer Artemy Lebedev has publicly criticized Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, alleging that the government is imposing restrictions on the use of the term "cognac." According to him, Armenia prohibits its producers from using this name due to international requirements. Lebedev's statements have circulated in Russian media, with the material provided by RIA Novosti.

The root of the disagreement lies in the legal regulation of the name "cognac." This designation is considered a geographical indicator, which is protected by legislation in the EU and several other countries. Its use for labeling exported products is restricted, as it is only permitted for products produced in France's Cognac region.

Armenia has been discussing the alignment of its wine and strong alcoholic beverage sector with international regulations for a long time. It is also noted that the Yerevan cognac factory was sold to the French company Pernod Ricard during the previous term of the current government, which continues to manage the production.

Government structures have repeatedly emphasized that decisions regarding renaming and labeling stem from international obligations and do not carry a political nature.