Joghvourd: What to Expect in May and Who is Responsible for the Situation

Joghvourd newspaper reports: On April 3, it became clear that the European Commission had prepared a report indicating a 'red card' for Armenian aviation. It turns out that there is a long backstory to all of this. For the first time, a yellow card was shown on December 9, 2019, when the European Commission warned that Armenian aviation could be banned within Europe, and investigations would follow.

In February, they visited Armenia, conducted their assessment, did not shy away from their preliminary evaluations, and on March 6, they issued a red card. This means that this decision was not at all unexpected, and during the meeting of the relevant division of the European Commission scheduled for May, sanctions could be imposed, placing Armenia on the list of countries under a ban.

Of course, depriving two local airlines of their right to operate flights to Europe is a heavy blow, but the reasons are actually much deeper. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has also commented on the European Commission's decision, stating: 'For many years, Armenian-registered aircraft have been involved in illegal activities in African countries, including arms trafficking, and this has been linked to corrupt circles in Armenia.'