Russia denies political motives behind import restrictions on Armenian goods

The restrictions imposed by Russia’s agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor on imports of certain food products from Armenia are not politically motivated but stem from identified violations, according to the agency’s head Sergei Dankvert.

“I have never seen a single president who would say that the restrictions are not politicised. But in this case, it’s a completely different matter. We have a long history of working with these companies, the results of laboratory tests, data on shipments, and details of the violations identified,” he said in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

According to Dankvert, the issue lies in shortcomings in Armenia’s production organisation and oversight systems.

“But between production and shipment, there is virtually no system of internal control or cooperation. Thousands of bunches of greens are loaded into a single truck, after which regulatory authorities are supposed to inspect enormous volumes of produce. This is physically impossible,” explained the head of Rosselkhoznadzor.

He added that effective inspections should be carried out at the production stage rather than at the point of export, stressing the need for stronger internal controls.

“That is precisely what is lacking today. Therefore, the reasons for the restrictions lie in product quality and safety, not in politics,” he concluded.

By Sabina Mammadli