David Ananyan counters  authorities: opening the borders with Turkey  poses a risk of vulnerability and dependence  rather than an   economic opportunity 

ArmInfo. In recent days, government officials have continued to tout the prospect of opening the borders with Turkey, portraying it as a significant economic  opportunity. However, a deeper analysis shows that the situation is  not so simple and rosy. Economist, PhD in Economics, and former head  of the RA State Revenue Committee, David Ananyan, wrote in his  Facebook post.

"First and foremost, the transportation infrastructure. The roads and  railways from our border to Turkey's main logistics hubs are either  nonexistent or in poor condition. Turkey needs significant  investments to make this infrastructure suitable for international  transport. Even with the necessary political will, this process will  not be quick," he noted. Additionally, the expert pointed out that  even if the Margara or Akhurik checkpoints were opened, and a good  transport system was implemented along with the Turkish road network,  allowing Armenia to access the major Mediterranean ports of Mersin  and Derzey, given their remoteness (850 and 950 km, respectively),  the cost of transporting goods and cargo would not decrease.  On the  contrary, it would increase due to the long distances and  intermediate costs.

"Secondly, there is the issue of economic balance. Turkey's economy  is significantly larger than Armenia's, and our economy is known for  its weak stability. One of the most apparent outcomes of opening the  borders will be the intensive penetration of Turkish goods into the  Armenian market. Our industrial sectors, which already struggle to  compete, are unlikely to withstand such pressure," the economist  believes.

And thirdly, there are restrictions in customs policy. Armenia, as a  member of the EAEU, is deprived of the opportunity to pursue an  independent customs and tariff protection policy. In the EAEU,  decisions related to customs policy are made based on a unified  approach and consensus, so even if we want to protect local  production through tariffs or restrictions, this is practically  impossible from an economic perspective, Ananyan mentioned.  "All of  this means that opening borders may have a certain political and  psychological significance, but economically, it doesn't offer a wide  range of opportunities. Instead, it carries the risks of  vulnerability and dependence. If there is no serious strategic  calculation beyond the symbolic impulse of peace, then talk of 'major  economic benefits' is simply detached from reality," David Ananyan  concluded.