Pashinyan explained the introduction of IMEI code registration as a necessity to control the shadow market
02.07.2026,
19:56
There is a shadow trade in mobile phones worth billions of drams in Armenia, said Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, commenting on the initiative to introduce an IMEI code registration system.
YEREVAN, July 2. /ARKA/. There is a shadow trade in mobile phones worth billions of drams in Armenia, said Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, commenting on the initiative to introduce an IMEI code registration system.
"And it's clear that the recipients of these billions will spend hundreds of millions on lobbying, claiming that (the authorities) will soon be collecting citizens' personal data. We will be public and transparent on this issue, and if there are no guarantees that people's data will not be collected and used, we will not implement this system," Pashinyan said at a briefing on Thursday.
According to him, the authorities expect the expert community, including journalists, to propose alternative ways to combat the shadow market.
"People bring phones into the country in their pockets without any restrictions. "And if we check every pocket, they'll say we're a dictatorship. How long can we pretend we don't know what's going on in Armenia? We close stores, and they say we're persecuting political opponents, but that's just a shadow. If you don't like it, offer an alternative," the prime minister said.
About the bill
The Armenian government has approved draft amendments to the Law on Electronic Communications, which stipulate mandatory IMEI code verification by mobile operators when providing communications services.
According to the draft, citizens importing a mobile phone manufactured between 2025 and 2026 will be required to register the device, paying a state fee of 3,000 drams. Registration of older phones will be free.
A higher fee is imposed for the import of additional phones within one year: 100,000 drams for a device manufactured in 2026, and 20,000 drams for a phone manufactured in 2025.
Expert Assessment
Experts expressed concerns about the proposed IMEI registration system.
Information security expert Artur Papyan stated that the initiative carries the risk of excessive data concentration on users and their devices.
Tigran Jrbashyan, Director of Management Consulting at Ameria, in turn, called on the authorities to present the economic and legal justification for the chosen regulatory model and clarify whether alternative approaches were considered.
"And it's clear that the recipients of these billions will spend hundreds of millions on lobbying, claiming that (the authorities) will soon be collecting citizens' personal data. We will be public and transparent on this issue, and if there are no guarantees that people's data will not be collected and used, we will not implement this system," Pashinyan said at a briefing on Thursday.
According to him, the authorities expect the expert community, including journalists, to propose alternative ways to combat the shadow market.
"People bring phones into the country in their pockets without any restrictions. "And if we check every pocket, they'll say we're a dictatorship. How long can we pretend we don't know what's going on in Armenia? We close stores, and they say we're persecuting political opponents, but that's just a shadow. If you don't like it, offer an alternative," the prime minister said.
About the bill
The Armenian government has approved draft amendments to the Law on Electronic Communications, which stipulate mandatory IMEI code verification by mobile operators when providing communications services.
According to the draft, citizens importing a mobile phone manufactured between 2025 and 2026 will be required to register the device, paying a state fee of 3,000 drams. Registration of older phones will be free.
A higher fee is imposed for the import of additional phones within one year: 100,000 drams for a device manufactured in 2026, and 20,000 drams for a phone manufactured in 2025.
Expert Assessment
Experts expressed concerns about the proposed IMEI registration system.
Information security expert Artur Papyan stated that the initiative carries the risk of excessive data concentration on users and their devices.
Tigran Jrbashyan, Director of Management Consulting at Ameria, in turn, called on the authorities to present the economic and legal justification for the chosen regulatory model and clarify whether alternative approaches were considered.