Armenia cannot initiate the process of applying for candidate status for EU membership without simultaneously initiating the process of withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Union. This was stated by Beniamin Poghosyan, a political scientist and senior research fellow at the Analytical Center of APRI Armenia, in an interview with BMG.
Poghosyan refers to discussions about Armenia's potential candidacy for EU membership as discussions about the hypothetical possibilities of the country.
"I believe it's more about aspirations than reality because, first of all, let's not forget that Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia first signed association agreements, and only after 8 or 9 years did they become candidates or obtained candidate status for EU membership," said the expert, noting that Armenia doesn’t even have an association agreement with the EU.
Even if it is assumed that some exception will be made for Armenia and it will be given the opportunity to obtain candidate status without signing an association agreement, he believes this process is fraught with risks.
"Armenia will face a clear requirement that it must at least begin the process of withdrawing from the Eurasian Economic Union. I simply don't believe and don't see how Armenia can start the process of obtaining candidate status in the EU without simultaneously initiating the process of leaving the Eurasian Economic Union.
And the process of leaving the Eurasian Economic Union itself is very complex and convoluted, and I'm not sure Armenia will even start it. So, we are talking about hypothetical possibilities and real things," Poghosyan said.
Earlier, BMG reported that the resolution presented by the Members of the European Parliament was adopted on the evening of March 13 with 504 votes in favor, 4 against, and 32 abstentions. With this document, the European Parliament proposed to Brussels to consider the possibility of granting Armenia the status of a candidate for accession to the European Union.
It notably states: "If Armenia is interested in obtaining candidate status and continues to implement stable reforms that strengthen its democracy, this could serve as a basis for transforming relations between the EU and Armenia."
