New step from Armenia for the EU

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made statements following his meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is visiting his country. Expressing his gratitude for the 52 million euro budget support provided by the EU, Pashinyan stated that they hope to continue cooperation on increasing trade relations and diversifying exports with the European Union.

Pashinyan touched upon the importance of the EU Commission presenting autonomous trade measures for Armenian products to member states. In his statement, he noted that once this practice is fully implemented, Armenia will be the first country among those without a free trade agreement with the EU to benefit from this advantage.

Referring to experiences from past years, Pashinyan said, "I rule out the possibility of a repeat of the situation in 2013, that is, the situation where Armenia, in one or two nights, rejected the agreed-upon process to sign an Association Agreement with the EU and decided to move towards the Eurasian Economic Union or the Customs Union. This is not possible when the Armenian people have clearly expressed their support for the balanced foreign policy pursued by the state."

Regarding relations with Russia, Pashinyan emphasized that they never have the goal of creating a crisis in the ties between the two countries, and stated that they only prioritize Armenia's national interests. At the same time, he underscored that the interests of any other country cannot take precedence over the interests of their own country.

Prime Minister Pashinyan highlighted that his country's most important task in the coming period is to achieve full, sincere, and complete compliance with EU standards, saying, "We have clearly set out our strategy. The number one task we need to solve is to comply with EU standards fully, sincerely, and completely. This is the first strategic task we need to solve. The issue of full membership in the EU can be brought to the agenda after this."

Stating that full compliance with the EU will bring significant opportunities, Pashinyan pointed out that this process is a complex issue that depends on many different factors, not just political ones. Pashinyan said, "However, this is also a political issue that depends on many different factors. If we succeed in becoming a member of the EU, this will be a great achievement. If the EU decides not to expand anymore for any reason, we will still have gained a great deal because we will be a country that fully complies with EU criteria. We are doing this not for the EU, but for the citizens of Armenia."

News Source: 12punto