Second President Robert Kocharyan on Wednesday shared his negative forecasts about the possible opening of the Armenia-Turkey border, warning especially of a devastating impact on the domestic agriculture

“The opening of the border with Turkey will obviously deliver a heavy blow to our agriculture - given the existing rivalry between our agriculture sectors. They do not replenish each other as Turkey’s agriculture is obviously in much better conditions today,” he said at a meeting with several co-thinkers in Yerevan.

The former president warned of the expected crucial damage to the population of the Ararat valley, noting that their agricultural produce will essentially lose its competitive advantages.

“Before opening the border, it is necessary to upgrade the Armenian agriculture - at least in the couple of years to come – and raise the level of subsidies in a similar way, protecting the market with import taxes. Only afterwards should we think about the opening of borders,” he added.