Conceptually the Customs Union is similar to the former USSR and joining it will mean for Armenia going back to the Soviet times, Chairman of the Republican Union of Employers of Armenia Gagik Makaryan told journalists on Wednesday.
He said that the Customs Union is meant as a counterbalance to the European Union. "This model also implies common laws, no visa, free movement, single currency. The only different is that the EU is a free and developing structure, while the Customs Union is a pedantic and backward," Makaryan said.
He said that of the three Customs Union members, only Russia is a real partner to Armenia. "It has as much as 22% of Armenia's trade, while Belarus and Kazakhstan just 0.8% and 0.2%. When Armenia joins the Customs Union, it will be forced to buy Russian products as products by non-Customs Union members will become at least 10% more expensive. This means that we will have to use low- or medium-quality goods just like we did in the Soviet times. And we have nothing to offer in exchange - of our $270mln exports to Russia $136mln is alcohol," Makaryan said.
According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, in 2013 Armenian exports to Russia made up $334.5mln, Russian imports to Armenia $1.1bln.
Russia has 22% of Armenia's trade, the EU 30%. The other big trade partners are the United States, China, Turkey and Iran.