Armenia is trying not to fall under US sanctions

The Armenian authorities very carefully monitor not to get under the US sanctions for possible attempts to help Russia by walking the restrictions, said Armenian Economy Minister Vaan Kerobyan in an interview with RBC.

“In fact, we are very carefully watching not to get under the sanctions, because it does not meet our interests. We want to work so that this is avoided,” the minister explained.

According to him, European and American colleagues were given clearly to understand that they would not like to apply negative tools in relation to Armenia.

“In particular, Armenian banks carefully hold the KYC procedure (know your client,” know your client “) in relation to Russian residents. From the point of view of customer service, they are probably too bureaucratically to this. But we understand them. They Do not want to feel secondary sanctions for yourself. And therefore a little longer than usual, the KYC occurs, “said Kerobyan.

The minister also noted that VTB Bank and in Armenia under the sanctions: “and the shareholder, and the lender, and the main buyer – all under sanctions, and the techno deposit is now standing. We work out several development options, but in all there is one unchanged factor “The company must work. We are now in a situation where we cannot allow yourself such a luxury as closed plants. Therefore, we are ready to help shareholders and the company itself, in order to have any activity as soon as possible. Bank under sanctions, it works, but, of course, , not in volume, in what before. I think that there are several scenarios of development in this sense: merger with another bank, redemption by another shareholder, new shareholders, etc. That is, these questions are also actively discussed now to the company itself. By itself continued to work. “