YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. The EU has reconfirmed that it's a key reform partner and the largest donor in Armenia and it stands together with Armenia in a moment of crisis with strong solidarity and international cooperation. It will be the EU’s responsibility to continue supporting Armenia and those Eastern Partnership countries having chosen the path of European integration reforms, ARMENPRESS reports reads the joint statement of Andrius Kubilius, Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly and Gayane Abrahamyan, Head of Armenian Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly On the EU assistance for Armenia to mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 crisis, protect democracy and continue reforms necessary to sustain the economic recovery.

''Since the very beginning of the COVID-19 crisis in March 2020, the EU has been reacting fast to the COVID-19 outbreak in Armenia and has mobilised both regional and bilateral assistance packages. The EU’s support will be provided to strengthen Armenia’s health system, in cooperation with the World Health Organisation and to mitigate the socio-economic impact of the coronavirus crisis in collaboration with the International Financial Institutions. There is a saying that during the crisis you will know who your true friends are. The COVID-19 pandemic is exactly that sort of crisis, reconfirming that the EU is a true friend and partner to Armenia. We are convinced that this partnership has a bright future for both sides: for Armenia and for the EU’', reads the statement.

The statement also notes that the Eastern Partnership region is part of Europe and remains as a geostrategic priority for the European Union. The EU has rapidly taken numerous measures to support the Eastern Partnership countries to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and its social and economic consequences. Overall, the EU has secured in total more than EUR 3 billion for the whole EU neighbourhood, 962 million of which will be directed to the Eastern Partnership region, including Armenia.

Editing and Translating by Tigran Sirekanyan