Translated with AI from the Russian original.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the country's authorities intend to seek a revision of the terms of the concession agreement with "South Caucasus Railway" (SCR), a subsidiary of RZD. According to him, Yerevan initially expects to settle the issue through negotiations, but in the absence of an agreement, it is ready to appeal to international arbitration.
Pashinyan emphasized that the railway infrastructure is the property of Armenia, and the state has the right to independently determine the terms of its operation. At the same time, the Prime Minister for the first time admitted the possibility of presenting new financial demands to the Russian company, which has been managing the Armenian railway since 2008.
"There may be things for which we have not asked for anything for 30 years, but now we will ask for $2 billion a year," Pashinyan said. To a clarifying question whether this refers to possible concession payments from SCR, the head of government replied that there was no need for any hints.
The statement came amid discussions about a future agreement with the Russian operator and a possible revision of the terms for managing Armenia's railway network.
