Armenia’s Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan has commented on the issue of gasoline imported from Azerbaijan, addressing prices and public calls not to purchase it.

Speaking during a Facebook live broadcast, Papoyan said that citizens are free in their choice of which gasoline to buy.

He noted that premium-grade gasoline is currently sold at 430 drams per liter, while prices in Armenia for the same type range between 500 and 520 drams.

“You are free to buy whichever gasoline you want; you choose for yourselves. That is precisely the role of the state to ensure the widest possible range, uninterrupted supply routes so that gasoline and other goods are always available, and to make sure quality is high and consumers are not cheated on quantity. This is where the state’s responsibility lies; the rest is your choice,” he said.

Earlier, it was reported that the company Mega Trade imported 600 tons of gasoline from Azerbaijan, with a total of 22 railcars delivered to Armenia. Azerbaijani premium gasoline is being sold at 430 drams per liter at Ran Oil filling stations owned by the Sukiasyan family’s Mega Trade company. The second company to import gasoline from Azerbaijan was Shisha World LLC.

Calls have appeared on social media urging consumers not to buy Azerbaijani gasoline. The Hayakve movement has called for a boycott, stating: “Let us boycott and not allow Azerbaijani gasoline to turn into weapons directed against us.”