Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has indicated that official Yerevan is prepared to take legal action regarding the ongoing situation surrounding the South Caucasus Railway (SCR) company. Pashinyan emphasized that the railway infrastructure belongs to the Armenian state and asserted that the government reserves the right to make decisions aligned with its national interests.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, Pashinyan stated that while efforts to resolve the dispute through negotiations are ongoing, the government may consider appealing to an international arbitration court if a consensus cannot be reached. Addressing financial aspects, the Prime Minister hinted at the possibility of raising claims amounting to $2 billion annually, noting that no such payment demands had been voiced for many years.
The South Caucasus Railway, a subsidiary of Russian Railways, has managed Armenia's railway network under a concession agreement since 2008. Tensions have escalated following the Armenian government's push to restore railway lines toward Azerbaijan and Turkey, including the Arazdayan-Nakhchivan and Akhurik-Turkey border routes. Yerevan has previously explored the possibility of transferring the management of the railway to a third party, with potential interest from companies in Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates, or Qatar. While the Russian Ministry of Transport has stated that no negotiations on this matter are currently underway, Pashinyan maintained that Armenia does not intend to unilaterally violate existing agreements but remains firm in seeking a resolution to the issue.
