Visa liberalization with EU won’t lead to migration increase, says PM Pashinyan

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Wednesday he doesn’t think that Armenia-EU visa liberalization would lead to an increase in migration.

Speaking at the Global Armenian Summit, Pashinyan said studies have been made on the matter in relation to other countries before the negotiations on visa liberalization with the EU. 

“I think Georgia is a close example for us, where no major migration occurrences were observed. On the contrary, when people get the sense of, so to say, having big opportunities, then they have less desire to leave. Today there are thousands of people in Europe and the US who are not returning to Armenia because they traveled there with difficulties and if they return they wouldn’t be able to go back again,” Pashinyan said.

The Prime Minister said the main reason of migration in Armenia is uncertainty regarding the future, and reducing this uncertainty will lead to decrease in migration.