YEREVAN — Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated that a newly established joint working group with Russia must determine whether the Russian side is prepared to make substantial investments in modernizing Armenia’s railway infrastructure.
Speaking to reporters at the Government headquarters, Pashinyan emphasized that the anticipated reopening of regional transportation routes makes railway modernization an urgent priority.
According to the Prime Minister, Armenia’s railway network requires significant investment to meet modern infrastructure standards and remain competitive as regional connectivity expands.
Pashinyan recalled that Russian representatives had previously indicated that such investments would not be economically viable.
“When our Russian partners said that making these investments was not economically feasible, we responded that we could invite others to invest. They then said that option was not particularly acceptable to them. We made it clear that we cannot accept a situation in which neither option is pursued,” Pashinyan said.
“Now that the region is opening up, we cannot allow our railway infrastructure to remain in its current condition,” he added.
The Prime Minister noted that several Western companies have expressed interest in investing in Armenia’s railway system. However, they have also raised concerns about the existing Russian management arrangement.
“There are Western companies interested in investing, and they say they are prepared to do so. However, the Russian railway management factor presents an obstacle for them, and they cannot enter under those circumstances,” Pashinyan explained.
He stressed that major investments would be necessary to ensure the railway’s efficiency and competitiveness.
The Prime Minister also predicted substantial demand for freight transportation along both north-south and east-west routes as regional transportation connections expand.
Pashinyan clarified that the Armenian government is not pursuing the termination of Russia’s railway management rights as an objective in itself.
“We are not fixated on taking the monopoly away from Russia. We would not have raised this issue at all if the current situation had not arisen,” he said.
“Our objective is to resolve the problem, and the problem is that our railway infrastructure must meet appropriate quality standards,” the Prime Minister emphasized.
On October 14, Pashinyan met with Oleg Belozyorov, Director General of Russian Railways, to discuss reconstruction projects involving the Gyumri-Akhurik-Turkey border and Yeraskh-Nakhichevan railway sections.
The two sides agreed to establish a joint working group to examine the projects and address the investment requirements associated with modernizing Armenia’s railway infrastructure.
