Pashinyan says Armenia will deepen EU integration and continue balanced foreign policy

Armenia will continue to strengthen its democracy with EU support after elections, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is leading the Civil Contract party’s re-election bid, has said.

He said Armenia will continue the process of alignment with EU standards.

“The future of Armenia will be a strategy of strengthening independence, statehood, democracy, and the rule of law, and we will continue along the path of democratic reforms, of course with the support of our European partners, because the European Union is our main partner in implementing democratic reforms,” Pashinyan said outside a polling station after casting his ballot on election day when asked by international media.

Pashinyan pointed to the law launching the process of EU accession, which was earlier adopted in parliament, and said that the authorities aim to align the country with EU standards.

“When Armenia is fully and sincerely aligned with the standards of the European Union, two scenarios are possible. The first is that the European Union will accept Armenia as a full member. The second is that it will not, because that depends on many political circumstances; for example, the EU may decide not to expand at all,” the prime minister said.

According to Pashinyan, in both cases Armenia will benefit, because even without membership it will have a state aligned with European standards.

Asked about balancing relations between the European Union and Russia, the prime minister said that his administration will continue to adhere to a balanced foreign policy.

“That is a foreign policy issue. And you know that we are pursuing a balanced foreign policy, and we will continue to remain faithful to that approach,” Pashinyan said.