Armenia’s Parliament Approves EU Partnership Bill
The Armenian parliament has approved a bill on the country’s intention to join the European Union, in its second and final reading. The legislation declares Armenia’s intention to join the EU and initiate the corresponding process. The main reason cited for this move is the desire to make Armenia safe, secure, developed and prosperous. However, Brussels has not yet offered Armenia membership in the EU.
Sixty-four parliamentarians, all from the ruling party “Civil Contract”, voted in favor of the bill, while seven opposed it.
During the parliamentary discussions, the deputy foreign minister, Paruyr Hovhannisyan, clarified that the bill is not an application for EU membership, but rather a declaration of Armenia’s desire to deepen its relations with the EU. He added that a partnership agenda will be adopted by Yerevan and Brussels, in line with the new law.
The bill was first discussed in early February, with the opposition parliamentary alliance “Honorable to Have” arguing that the proposal was legally absurd, as it was a mere declaration that could potentially jeopardize Armenia’s free trade on the Eurasian Economic Union’s markets, which is crucial for the country.
Russia’s authorities view Armenia’s desire to join the EU as a sovereign right, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov. He noted that there are political forces in Yerevan that believe they can gain additional benefits from the EU bid, while Moscow expects Armenia to continue benefiting from the Eurasian Economic Integration.