Russian authorities have called the idea of transferring Armenian railways to another country "unacceptable"
Moscow has described Yerevan's statements about a possible change in the concession manager for Armenian railways as "strange and unacceptable." Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova pointed out that the Armenian railway has been managed by South Caucasus Railways, a subsidiary of Russian Railways, for over two decades.
According to her, the Russian side has invested "significant funds" in infrastructure and rolling stock, which "have yet to pay off," and has also created "a large number of jobs." Zakharova emphasized that "Russian operators are not depriving Armenia of competitive advantages; on the contrary, they are creating them."
This statement followed Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's proposal to consider transferring management rights for the Armenian railway concession to a third country that maintains "friendly relations" with both Yerevan and Moscow. He explained this as a need to counter attempts to bypass Armenia in logistics projects, citing tensions in Russia's relations with other countries. Pashinyan also noted that the railway is Armenia's property and expressed hope that Russia will not impede regional projects.
