YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: [PM] Nikol Pashinyan's cabinet banned the import of cement to Armenia for 6 months during one of the unreported drafts at yesterday's government session. The government justified the need for the decision with the intention of protecting the domestic cement market and the local producer.

The dominant player in the cement market [of Armenia] is Araratcement, which is part of Multi Group Concern, which belongs to Gagik Tsarukyan [the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) leader, head of its parliamentary faction, and business tycoon]. In recent years, the import of cement from Iran and Georgia has been stimulated, which is making the activity of Araratcement unprofitable. In 2018 alone, 181 thousand tons of cement was imported. Still in 2019, Tsarukyan had demanded to restrict the import of cement.

And although the Nikol Pashinyan-Tsarukyan relations have obviously frozen in the post-war period, a decision is being made aimed at the opposition leader's business, which may be the result of shadow cooperation, or a gesture of goodwill to win the PAP's favor.