The Armenian Parliament's Committee on European Integration has approved a legislative initiative to begin the process of the country’s accession to the European Union. The bill will soon be included in the agenda of the National Assembly's upcoming four-day session.
Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan noted that ongoing negotiations with the EU focus on a new partnership agenda, which includes issues of security and defense. He emphasized the importance of the EU mission’s presence in Armenia, initiating dialogue on visa liberalization, and receiving support through the European Peace Facility.
Opposition MP Armen Gevorgyan, from the "Armenia" faction, expressed skepticism about the prospects of EU membership, pointing out that some candidate countries, including Turkey, have been negotiating accession for decades. He also questioned the compatibility of this process with Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
Key rapporteur Artak Zeynalyan highlighted that dual membership in different customs unions is not feasible, and at some point, Armenia will have to choose between the EAEU and the EU’s customs union.
Earlier, BMG reported that on January 9, the Armenian government approved and submitted to parliament the draft law titled "On Initiating the Process of Accession of the Republic of Armenia to the European Union." The initiative, which garnered over 52,000 signatures from citizens, was proposed by the "Democratic Forces Platform," a coalition of four non-parliamentary parties and several civic initiatives.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, endorsing the initiative, clarified that the bill does not imply automatic EU membership. "The final decision can only be made through a referendum—there is no other option," the Prime Minister stated, reiterating Armenia’s readiness to align with the EU to the extent deemed possible by Europe itself.
