Moscow considers ban on entry to Armenia for political scientist  Andranik Migranyan as absolutely unfriendly step by official Yerevan

ArmInfo. Moscow considers the ban on entry to Armenia for political scientist Andranik Migranyan as an absolutely unfriendly step by official Yerevan. This was stated on December 18 during a weekly briefing by the official  representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, in response to the question of whether the Russian Foreign Ministry would comment on Migranyan's declaration as an undesirable person by Armenia. 

At the same time, Zakharova emphasized that the Russian Foreign Ministry has always commented and will comment on such cases. "This is at odds with the allied status of our bilateral relations. We immediately contacted Yerevan through bilateral diplomatic channels for clarification. Previously, we have repeatedly called on our Armenian partners to stop the vicious practice of not allowing Russian citizens into the country who, for some reason, did not please the authorities of the Republic. Moreover, the authorities of the Republic constantly declare their openness, democracy and commitment to pluralism of opinions," Zakharova said.

According to her, Moscow will continue to raise this issue with  official Yerevan. Zakharova also believes that this question should rather be addressed not to Moscow, but to the official Armenian authorities.

On the evening of December 15, it became known that the Russian political scientist of Armenian origin Andranik Migranyan, who had arrived in Yerevan to visit his parents' grave, was told at Zvartnots Airport that he was banned from entering Armenia. Earlier, the Armenian authorities declared State Duma deputy Konstantin Zatulin and RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan "personae non gratae".

Migranyan has criticized the political line pursued by the current  Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan since he came to power. The criticism intensified after the cooling of Armenian- Russian relations and the surrender of Artsakh.