By various estimates, the reopening of the Armenian-Turkish border means economic gains from dozens of millions to billions of U.S. dollars for both countries, RA Minister of Finance Tigran Davtyan stated in the Armenian Parliament.

He pointed out that the RA Government has conducted extensive research to estimate the possible impact of the reopening of the Armenian-Turkish border. “The research was conducted by not only Armenia, but also foreign experts, as well as by such an authority as the Word Bank. The researchers were of the unanimous opinion that the reopening of the Armenian-Turkish border means economic gains for both the countries,” the Minister said. Davtyan pointed out that the reopened border means lower transportation costs for Armenia, new markets for Armenian products as well as impetus to investment. The Minister also pointed out that the Government is ready for open hearings for the issue. RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan reported that, pursuant to the President’s order, the RA Government is preparing a report on a possible impact of the reopening of Armenian-Turkish border. The Premier assured the Parliament members that the document will cover all the aspects of Armenian-Turkish relations.

In contrast to the Government’s position, Vahan Hovhannisyan, a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), stated that the party conducted in-depth research as well. However, unlike the Armenian Government, the ARF arrived at an unfavorable conclusion.