Brussels – One step at a time, Yerevan continues on its path to move closer to Europe. And simultaneously moving away from Russia. Armenia’s parliament has passed a bill committing the government to begin negotiations on EU accession as soon as possible. The next step should now be a popular referendum.
On the morning of today (March 26), deputies in the former Soviet republic adopted by a large majority—64 votes in favour and seven against on the second reading—a measure calling on the executive branch to set in motion the long and complex process to become a member state of the 12-star club. The process had been set in motion by a popular petition that exceeded the legal threshold of 50,000 signatures, leading Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to put the question of accession on the table of the chamber on 9 January.
Arguing that this is a will shared by the majority of the population, the premier has long reiterated the need to bring the Caucasian country into the European orbit, disengaging it simultaneously from Moscow. But it will not be easy to sever the umbilical cord that still binds it to the Federation, especially in economic and energy terms, and the Kremlin has already threatened repercussions if the Yerevan government goes its own way.
Today’s adoption by the chamber opens the door to the referendum consultation called for by the signatories of the popular petition to begin negotiations with Brussels formally. However, EU membership is a bumpy and uphill path, which can take years and does not guarantee a positive outcome, as the experiences of Turkey and Georgia, to name a couple, show.
Two MEPs, Latvian socialist Nils Ušakovs and popular Slovakian Miriam Lexmann, welcomed the Yerevan parliament’s vote: “We take note of this decision and welcome it as another clear expression of Armenia’s firm commitment to our shared values and the country’s democratic path,” reads a joint statement. Pashinyan has already signalled a willingness to engage in dialogue with Brussels as soon as possible to put pen to paper on a roadmap leading to accession through concrete measures such as visa liberalisation.
Mid-month, Armenia found a provisional understanding with neighbouring Azerbaijan on entering into a peace agreement to end decades of contentious relations, mainly due to the territorial dispute in Nagorno-Karabakh.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
