YEREVAN. – According to Armenian Wine Makers’ Union President Avag Harutyunyan, had Armenia become an EU member and signed the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area agreement with EU, there would have been an inevitable qualitative change in Armenian winemaking, Zhamanak daily reports.    

‘“The European system of values is different, the Russian [system of values is] different in winemaking. If we had gone after European values, we would have had to raise the quality of our wine very sharply and adhere to European standards. Instead, we would have had a very slow growth and, as a result, perhaps certain downfalls.’       

Harutyunyan [also] said in the case of becoming a Customs Union member, we will have a steady growth in wine and in export toward the Union member countries, but we will not have a qualitative development, which the European market could have given us.    

‘I believe even if our wine is recognized best in the Customs Union, Europe will not look upon it seriously,’” Zhamanak quotes.