More pluses than minuses - minister of reopening of Armenian-Turkish  border 

ArmInfo.  Armenian Finance Minister Vahe Hovhannisyan believes that in order to dispel the fears of citizens and local businesses, in particular, about the negative  consequences of the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border for them,  it is necessary to talk to them and explain that the positive aspects  significantly outweigh the negative ones.

"We need to tell our citizens that Turkish goods are still coming to  Armenia today, but through Georgia, to which transit duties are  paid>, the minister said in an interview with OTA, touching upon  concerns that after the opening of the border with Ankara, cheap  Turkish goods will flood into Armenia, which will jeopardize local  production.

The minister notes that when the border is opened, imports will  become a little cheaper. But exports will also become cheaper,  'because we also send goods to other countries, paying large sums for  our exports.'

'Yes, there will be certain differences. There will be companies that  will face difficulties, but competition must be withstood. I think  there will be changes, but it will not be a shock, it will not be a  catastrophe, since today these same goods come to us with a small  margin,' said Hovhannisyan.

The head of the Ministry of Finance does not see anything bad in  this, but sees great opportunities.  'Armenia can become a transit  country. Transit opportunities will create conditions for both  investment and production of goods in Armenia, and for receiving  income from transit. There are great opportunities here that we must  take advantage of. I cannot imagine what we should do that will  result in something bad,' the chief financier of Armenia summarizes.