Russia restricts Armenian fruit and vegetable imports ahead of elections
From Saturday onwards, Russia will impose ‘temporary restrictions’ on the import of certain berries and fresh vegetables from Armenia, including tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, greens, and strawberries, citing ‘an increasing number of violations’.
The Russian authorities announced that the restrictions would remain in force ‘until an appropriate algorithm for ensuring the safety of shipped products is developed’.
‘The current situation poses a threat to the phytosanitary status of the country’, Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Services (Rosselkhoznadzor) announced on Friday, further accusing the relevant Armenian agencies of ‘not tak[ing] appropriate measures regarding previously identified violations’.
Russian authorities also cited recorded ‘violations’ as a result of their inspections conducted at the end of May, and also accused Armenia of ‘lack[ing] a traceability system for exporting products to Russia’.
An Armenian lorry driver, waiting in long queues for entering Russia via land border, told RFE/RL on Monday that in response to their inquiries, Russian customs officers ‘don’t say a single word, [they] just laugh and make a heart sign’. The symbol is likely a reference to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s pre-election campaign symbol, in which he makes a heart shape with his hands.
Ahead of and during Armenia's pre-election campaign for the 7 June parliamentary elections, Russia suspended the sale of alcoholic beverages from several Armenian producers, claiming they do ‘not meet mandatory requirements’. Separately, Moscow fully banned the import and sale of Armenian Jermuk mineral water, as well as flowers.
Nate Ostiller
Russia also sent Armenia a letter reportedly warning it could cut off the tax-free supply of gas, petroleum products, and uncut diamonds if Yerevan proceeds with its EU accession efforts.
Armenia rejects registering some Russian observers
Separately, Armenia ‘informally’ notified Russia of the ‘undesirability of including certain Russian citizens’ as observers in the upcoming parliamentary elections, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova claimed on Thursday.
Russia reportedly intended to send three federal MPs and a representative of Karachay-Cherkessia’s electoral commission.
‘We requested the reasons and any reaction to this matter. We have not received an official response from Yerevan, including regarding the reasons for this decision’, Zakharova said.
Zakharova speculated that Yerevan’s decision could be over EU sanctions, and that the ‘this is, so to speak, an act of deference by official Yerevan towards its senior EU [partners]’.
Zakharova then warned of the decision’s possible impact on Russia’s relations with Armenia, calling the decision ‘deeply regrettable and incomprehensible’.
‘But, beyond all this, beyond regret and incomprehension, we are not prepared to accept this logic and will be forced to take this into account in our future work with Yerevan’, Zakharova concluded.
