It would be difficult to be against Eurovote initiative in terms of political logic – Pashinyan
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YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has commented on the recent petition seeking to initiate a EU membership referendum.
In an interview with Public Television, Pashinyan reminded that his speech at the European Parliament, where he declared that Armenia is ready to be maximally close to the EU, became one of the most viewed speeches on social media.
“When I gave a speech last year in the European Parliament, the main leitmotif was the following, Armenia is ready to be as close to the EU as the EU deems it possible. I was surprised that this speech became one of the widely shared and viewed speeches on social media. This attests to the broad public support to this agenda,” Pashinyan said.
Commenting on possible parliamentary debates on the results of the Eurovote petition, Pashinyan said it would be difficult to be against the initiative in terms of political logic.
“I went to the European Parliament and I said that Armenia is ready to be as close to the EU as the EU deems it possible. After that speech the discussions intensified in Armenia, and those active discussions have led to the petition, and a bill is entering parliament. Political logic says that if the ruling majority, whose political leader made the statement in the European Parliament, doesn’t adopt it, it would be difficult to explain not only within our society but to the very European society as well. They could ask, hold on, you announced it, and your society responded to it, and now you are against it?” Pashinyan said, adding that the issue is still under discussions.
The petition initiated by several political parties and civic initiatives calling for the launch of a process on joining the EU was submitted to the Central Electoral Commission on November 7.
The petition was organized by the Republic Party, the For the Republic Party, the European Party of Armenia and a number of civic initiatives. It garnered 60,000 signatures: 10,000 more than the necessary 50,000 minimum in order for the petition to enter parliament for consideration. The organizers of the petition said in case parliament turning down the petition after debates, they will organize another petition calling for a referendum on the matter. This will require a minimum of 300,000 signatures.