Pashinyan: Armenia must manage its railway

PanARMENIAN.Net - Work has begun on restoring the Gyumri–Akhurik and Yerask railway sections, and those efforts will continue, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during a briefing.

He also stressed that the railway is the property of the Republic of Armenia and that it should be managed by the Armenian state, according to Aysor.am .

"I cannot disclose the details at this stage. We need to resolve this issue through ongoing working discussions," Pashinyan said.

According to the prime minister, consultations with Russian partners will continue, while Armenia's position remains unchanged.

"It will not change for objective reasons. We cannot stand by as observers and allow international railway routes to enter Armenia and, once inside the country, effectively bypass Armenia because of our own inaction. That simply cannot happen," Pashinyan said.

Since 2008, Armenia's railway network has been operated under a concession agreement by South Caucasus Railway CJSC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Russian Railways. Armenian officials have previously stated that railway infrastructure along the Gyumri–Akhurik and Yerask routes needs to be restored.