Armenian lawmaker calls for boosting economic cooperation with EU amid growing political dialogue

Armenia should further develop its economic ties with the EU, a lawmaker said Tuesday.

Arman Yeghoyan, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on European Integration Affairs, spoke about the matter in parliament during debates of the EU bill. 

“We have a situation when Armenia’s political dialogue with the EU has outpaced our economic relations [with the EU]. There’s a huge gap between our political closeness and economic cooperation. And I think we should fill that gap. Naturally, not at the expense of reducing political dialogue but increasing economic cooperation,” Yeghoyan said.

In response to multiple questions regarding Armenia’s membership to the Eurasian Economic Union and compatibility in terms of the EU bill, Yeghoyan presented the scenario when Armenia could withdraw from the EEU.

“The issue of our membership to the Eurasian Economic Union has been widely discussed. I wouldn’t want to dodge the question. It is obvious that in the event of adopting this bill, if Armenia were to make the next step towards the EU it should be the free trade agreement. A very classical document that the previous government had negotiated for many years but didn’t sign due to well known reasons. If such a document were to be signed with the EU, the day it takes effect Armenia would no longer be able to be a member of the Eurasian Economic Union,” Yeghoyan explained.

Armenian authorities have said they don't plan to quit the EEU. 

The Armenian parliament is debating the bill on EU accession. 

The bill was initiated by several civic organizations through a petition which garnered enough votes to be considered as a bill. It calls on the Armenian authorities to launch the process of EU integration. The bill was previously endorsed by the Cabinet and a parliamentary committee.