Turkey Changed its Attitude Toward Visitors from Armenia: Navasardian

In recent years, Armenia-Turkey relations addressed the issue of entry permits for citizens of Armenia to Turkey in a different way, said Yerevan Press Club (YPC) President Boris Navasardian at a meeting with journalists today, commenting on the recent incident at Turkey’s Ataturk airport.

According to him, until 2001, there were no problems, Armenia citizens received their entry permits (visas), they passed border: unlike in other countries, they were never asked whether they had sufficient funds for their stay in Turkey. That same year, a special visa regime was introduced for Armenian visitors.

Navasardian said that since 2009, Turkey emphasized displaying good attitude toward visitors coming from Armenia. 

“Now we’re at the next stage. Turkey’s authorities don’t consider their policy with Armenia to be all that successful. Quite a number of people resigned from participating in the liturgy [at Holy Cross Armenian Church] on Aghtamar island. I don’t exclude [the possibility] that one of the branches of the Turkish government decided to show, if you’re not coming to that event, then we consider you generally to be unwelcome guests in our country,” said the YPC President.