Armenian economist warns against banning Turkish imports
In an interview with Tert.am, the dean of the Yerevan State University’s Department of International Economic Relations addressed the recent public calls for banning Turkish imports, commenting on the effectiveness of such a move, and possible implications.
Atom Margaryan, who holds a doctor's degree in economics, pointed out to the equivocal effects of sanctions, which he said cannot unconditionally have a positive outcome for different states.
“The language of sanctions is ambiguous in general. That’s to say, if you enforce a measure against manufacturers in one country, that has a boomerang effect. So you have to be ready for counter-steps. Countries normally do not trade with each other when they are at war. We are not at war with Turkey at least, so sanctions of the kind are not probably to the point when they become a state policy - given especially that our borders with that country are close.”
“As for the calls for boycotting Turkish products, they are certainly very reasonable. The arguments cited in such cases have to do with the products’ quality and security, especially when it comes to foods. But I think the problem here is not about the products, but rather - the agencies responsible for control and the appropriate implementation of the corresponding standards and mechanisms and, why not, also corruption restriction. So those are requirements to be submitted to those agencies to raise the standards and the control mechanism and rule out poor quality products and foods’ entry across the border – not only from Turkey but also the rest of the countries,” he said.
The economist admitted that Turkish products have been considerably represented on Armenia’s market over the past decades despite the closed border. “Yes, the trade turnover decreased to an extent – about 40% - last year, but in the long-term [analysis], we see it was tangible in the past decades,” he said, admitting further that imports have outnumbered the exports.
Asked whether he thinks that the Russian propaganda could have provoked anti-Turkish sentiments in Armenia, discouraging domestic importers from continuing the trade with Turkey, Margaryan said the definitely sees the traces of such a propaganda machine. “That simply is absolutely visible. Russia itself, as a big country which has even a historical confrontation with Turkey, suffers big losses because of those sanctions and counter-sanctions. I can add to this the well-known saying that ‘what is permissible for Jove is not permissible for an ox’. It isn’t permissible to be inspired with other countries’ models, suspicious policies, and the deplorable situation that we see along the borders with our neighbor - especially the one on the right [Azerbaijan] - and take such a step, relying on the justification that ‘we reinforce Turkey’s military-industrial complex by purchasing Turkish products.’ Those are trifling – we can say even small – flows in terms of securing profit, whereas the losses may be very painful for both the importers, and the population and consumers; and why not also our budget, as the imported products’ value-added tax remains in Armenia and the corresponding taxes which are charged go to the state budget, generating funds for our army and defense. This is something that mustn’t be forgotten. Unilateral approaches are simply unacceptable,” the economist added.
Videos
Interview with Francis Malige, EBRD Managing Director
Armenians Commemorating 106th Anniversary of Genocide
Biden Under Pressure to Recognize Armenian Genocide - KTLA 5 News
Governance and Oversight Capacities Account for Our Bank's Robust Management System - Philip Lynch, Independent Board Member at Ameriabank
'Mr. President, It Is Now in Your Power to Right Decades of Denial' - US Congressman Adam Schiff Urges Joe Biden to Recognize Armenian Genocide
Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh in Despair After Trauma of Military Defeat - France 24
Interview with Kakhaber Kiknavelidze, an Independent Member of Ameriabank Board of Directors
Only Terrorists Keep Hostages, Putting Forward Preconditions for Their Release - Edmon Marukyan
Rep Adam Schiff Says Congress Should Recognize Artsakh
UN's Guterres Issues Global Appeal to Make 2021 'Year of Healing'
NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Landing Animations
Azerbaijan Uses Prohibited Phosphorus Chemical Munitions - Defense Army Video
Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Arms Supplies
Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Drone
Nagorno-Karabakh's Status Has Been At the Heart of Our Approach - Zohrab Mnatsakanyan
Artsakh Defense Army Releases Video Featuring Damaged Azerbaijani Military Equipment
Artsakh Defense Army Units Inflicting Manpower Losses on Azerbaijan
Gas Pipeline Damaged in Azerbaijani Fire Targeting Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital
President Armen Sarkissian Meets Emmanuel Macron at Élysée Palace
Artsakh Defense Army Neutralizes Azerbaijani Military Hardware
Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Military Infrastructures
President Armen Sarkissian Meets with NATO Secretary-General in Brussels
Buildings and Homes Lying in Ruins in Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital After Azerbaijani Shelling
Artsakh Defense Army's Precision Fire Gives Deadly Blow to Enemy
Artsakh Defense Army Units Destroying Azerbaijani Tank
Zohrab Mnatsakanyan: Ceasefire Does not Mandate Azerbaijan to Kill Civilians and Hit Civilian Settlements
Armenians Protest Outside Turkrish Embassy in Los Angeles
Losses in Azerbaijan's Military Featured in Defense Army Footage
Artsakh Defense Army Neutralizing Adversary's Transport Column
Turkey openly backs Azerbaijan 'far more aggressively than in the past' - ABC News on Syrian mercenaries fighting in Karabakh
Iconic Armenian Church Hit in Azerbaijani Attacks in Nagorno-Karabakh City (photos)
Artsakh Defense Army Continues High-Precision Strikes
War Situation in Karabakh on European Parliament's Agenda
Call for Urgent Action: Armenian Journalist Brings Intn'l Colleagues' Attention to Situation iin Artsakh After Azerbaijani Attacks
Turkey's Support to Syrian Mercenaries Fighting Against Artsakh: Facts About Azerbaijani Aggression
Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital Under Azerbaijani Strikes
Armenian Armed Forces Neutralize Azerbaijani Defense Positions
ArmenianTroops Destroy Azerbaijani Armored Fighting Vehicle on Frontline
There is a solid evidence that Azerbaijan has launched a thoroughly planned attack on the NKR
EU calls for Immediate End to Hostilities over Nagorno-Karabakh
- 15:20 • 24.05.21 Interview with Francis Malige, EBRD Managing Director
- 11:39 • 24.04.21 Armenians Commemorating 106th Anniversary of Genocide
- 09:40 • 23.04.21 Biden Under Pressure to Recognize Armenian Genocide - KTLA 5 News
- 15:34 • 22.04.21 Governance and Oversight Capacities Account for Our Bank's Robust Management System - Philip Lynch, Independent Board Member at Ameriabank
- 14:09 • 21.04.21 'Mr. President, It Is Now in Your Power to Right Decades of Denial' - US Congressman Adam Schiff Urges Joe Biden to Recognize Armenian Genocide
- 12:37 • 03.04.21 Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh in Despair After Trauma of Military Defeat - France 24
- 17:33 • 11.03.21 Interview with Kakhaber Kiknavelidze, an Independent Member of Ameriabank Board of Directors
- 17:57 • 26.01.21 Only Terrorists Keep Hostages, Putting Forward Preconditions for Their Release - Edmon Marukyan
- 13:33 • 22.01.21 Rep Adam Schiff Says Congress Should Recognize Artsakh
- 09:42 • 29.12.20 UN's Guterres Issues Global Appeal to Make 2021 'Year of Healing'
- 18:41 • 24.12.20 NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Landing Animations
- 13:33 • 31.10.20 Azerbaijan Uses Prohibited Phosphorus Chemical Munitions - Defense Army Video
- 16:37 • 30.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Arms Supplies
- 11:25 • 28.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Drone
- 13:45 • 24.10.20 Nagorno-Karabakh's Status Has Been At the Heart of Our Approach - Zohrab Mnatsakanyan
- 11:51 • 24.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Releases Video Featuring Damaged Azerbaijani Military Equipment
- 11:40 • 24.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Units Inflicting Manpower Losses on Azerbaijan
- 10:39 • 24.10.20 Gas Pipeline Damaged in Azerbaijani Fire Targeting Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital
- 12:41 • 23.10.20 President Armen Sarkissian Meets Emmanuel Macron at Élysée Palace
- 12:16 • 23.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Neutralizes Azerbaijani Military Hardware
- 12:02 • 22.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Military Infrastructures
- 10:35 • 22.10.20 President Armen Sarkissian Meets with NATO Secretary-General in Brussels
- 10:51 • 17.10.20 Buildings and Homes Lying in Ruins in Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital After Azerbaijani Shelling
- 15:09 • 15.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army's Precision Fire Gives Deadly Blow to Enemy
- 13:13 • 13.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Units Destroying Azerbaijani Tank
- 12:56 • 12.10.20 Zohrab Mnatsakanyan: Ceasefire Does not Mandate Azerbaijan to Kill Civilians and Hit Civilian Settlements
- 12:23 • 12.10.20 Armenians Protest Outside Turkrish Embassy in Los Angeles
- 17:23 • 09.10.20 Losses in Azerbaijan's Military Featured in Defense Army Footage
- 15:53 • 09.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Neutralizing Adversary's Transport Column
- 14:11 • 09.10.20 Turkey openly backs Azerbaijan 'far more aggressively than in the past' - ABC News on Syrian mercenaries fighting in Karabakh
- 15:52 • 08.10.20 Iconic Armenian Church Hit in Azerbaijani Attacks in Nagorno-Karabakh City (photos)
- 10:57 • 08.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Continues High-Precision Strikes
- 14:24 • 07.10.20 War Situation in Karabakh on European Parliament's Agenda
- 19:31 • 05.10.20 Call for Urgent Action: Armenian Journalist Brings Intn'l Colleagues' Attention to Situation iin Artsakh After Azerbaijani Attacks
- 16:17 • 04.10.20 Turkey's Support to Syrian Mercenaries Fighting Against Artsakh: Facts About Azerbaijani Aggression
- 12:39 • 04.10.20 Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital Under Azerbaijani Strikes
- 13:49 • 03.10.20 Armenian Armed Forces Neutralize Azerbaijani Defense Positions
- 10:12 • 29.09.20 ArmenianTroops Destroy Azerbaijani Armored Fighting Vehicle on Frontline
- 23:42 • 28.09.20 There is a solid evidence that Azerbaijan has launched a thoroughly planned attack on the NKR
- 18:45 • 28.09.20 EU calls for Immediate End to Hostilities over Nagorno-Karabakh
Most popular articles Today Yesterday For a week
-
Event 14:24 • 08/05 Heavy floods in Brazil killed 95 people, Porto Alegre airport was also flooded At least 85 people died in the floods and about 150,000 have been displaced from their homes, officials said. Some towns remain isolated and hopes of finding the more than 130 people who are still missing are dwindling.
-
Politics 09:38 • 09/05 Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if it launches major invasion of Rafah President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt some shipments of American weapons to Israel – which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza – if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
-
Politics 12:22 • 10/05 ‘Fight with our fingernails’: Israel’s Netanyahu defies US weapons warning Israeli officials have struck a defiant tone after US President Joe Biden warned that the United States would not provide weapons for a full-scale ground assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are hemmed in with no safe way to leave.
-
Economy 11:19 • 07/05 Business Refinancing Special Offer from Byblos Bank Armenia (video) Byblos Bank Armenia is introducing a special offer to promote the development of small and mediumsized businesses The offer allows entrepreneurs to transfer their existing loans to Byblos Bank Armenia, and the Bank wi
-
Event 15:46 • 08/05 Viva-MTS: modern technological solutions to modernize the infrastructure of the border village The projects implemented by the partnering organizations in Gomk go beyond infrastructures of outdoor lighting alone. As part of the initiative, the parties have also supported the village by introduction of electric fences against wild animals penetrating inhabited areas, using new technologies.
Politics
-
10:21 • 09.05.24 Lukashenko congratulated the RA President
Economy
-
11:19 • 07.05.24 Business Refinancing Special Offer from Byblos Bank Armenia (video)
-
10:59 • 08.04.24 Ucom continues network modernization in regions of Armenia