Opening of Turkish-Armenian border spells partial deliverance from monopoliesAugust 5, 2009 - 19:44 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - "Economically, both Armenia and Turkey will gain from rapprochement. Armenia could definitely benefit from economic relations with a large country Turkey is," RA ex-Premier Hrant Bagratyan said at a joint news conference with United Labor Party Leader Gurgen Arsenyan in Yerevan. According to Gurgen Arsenyan, RA business entities' production capacity might only increase from gaining some part of Turkey's consumer market. When questioned by reporters whether expansion of Turkish goods at the Armenian market is possible, Gurgen Arsenyan responded there's no grounds for concern as Armenia's production capacity, infrastructure and labor costs are lower than Turkey's. So in case of border opening, increase of production capacity and cost price optimization should be taken care of. At the same time, he noted, Armenian oligarchs are the ones most concerned over border opening as their influence will significantly decrease in that case. "Opening of Turkish-Armenian border would spell at least partial deliverance from monopolies," ex-RA Premier summarized, adding that maintenance of current price level in Armenia is explained by monopolization and lack of competition. Top stories Yerevan has dismissed Turkey’s demand to shut down the Armenian nuclear power plant as “inappropriate”. Armenia will loan 2.9 billion drams to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), according to a draft government decision. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan has “strongly condemned” Armenia’s decision. Kerobyan has said that for the first time in the history of Armenia, the volume of foreign direct investments amounted to about $1 billion. Partner news | Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. Byblos Bank Armenia celebrates Students' Day with scholarship recipients YSU students who received scholarships from Byblos Bank Armenia gathered in a casual setting to meet with the Bank's CEO, Hayk Stepanyan. Azerbaijan extends Rune Vardanyan’s arrest by 5 months A court in Azerbaijan has extended the arrest of former Nagorno-Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan by five months. Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. |