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Russia has some concerns about the EU accession processes in Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said when asked about his recent call with Russian President Vladimir Putin after the government endorsed the bill seeking to launch an EU integration process.
Pashinyan said the call was focused not only on that topic but also ongoing affairs in the Eurasian Economic Union and bilateral relations.
“The conversation is about the following, it is a fact that over fifty thousand citizens of Armenia collected signatures and presented a specific matter to the parliament and government of Armenia, which is in line with the Armenian government’s statements,” Pashinyan said at a press conference.
He said that if the parliament were to vote down the bill, after some time a referendum would be called in Armenia: the Constitution provides for clear regulations in the matter.
“Why did such perceptions develop among the citizens of Armenia? This is a matter connected also with the Armenia-Russia relationship agenda. And our conversation has been and continues to be about this. Of course Russia has some concerns about the process. But our conversation has never been and will never be in the language of threats. These are conversations, negotiations, we are expressing positions. It is obvious that Russia has some concerns. It is a fact that we also have some concerns about Russia’s positions and policies,” Pashinyan said.
It is a fact that Armenia continues dialogue with Russia and will continue to deepen its relations with the EU, Pashinyan said.
“Steps that would question the content of the Eurasian Economic Union itself must not be made within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union. Unfortunately there have already been steps that in our assessment have questioned the competence of the CSTO. And that’s why Armenia has frozen its participation in the organization,” Pashinyan said.
Armenia will strive for collegial relations, he added. No one can deny the Armenian citizens’ right to have a choice, Pashinyan said.
The PM emphasized that the adoption of the bill wouldn’t itself mean that Armenia is joining the EU, but rather that many citizens in Armenia favor the EU over the Eurasian Economic Union.
Pashinyan said this is also an option for the Eurasian Economic Union to either prove that the EU is truly a better option, or that the Eurasian Economic Union is a better option than the EU.
On January 9, the Cabinet endorsed the bill seeking to launch the process of EU integration. The bill, which is set to be discussed in parliament, was initiated by several civic organizations through a petition which garnered enough votes to be considered as a bill by law.