Armenia will lose the right to free movement of goods in EEU common market if it moves closer to EU - Zakharova
YEREVAN, June 19. /ARKA/. Armenia will lose the right to free movement of goods and services in the Eurasian Economic Union's (EEU) common market if it moves closer to the European Union, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a press briefing on Thursday.
"Customs duties (for Armenia) will increase significantly, and the result will be higher prices for Armenian consumers and reduced competitiveness of domestic products. Armenia will lose its Eurasian advantages in labor migration, technical regulation, sanitary and phytosanitary measures," Zakharova said, commenting on statements from Yerevan about the impossibility of simultaneous participation in the EU and the EEU.
Zakharova reiterated that Armenia's potential accession to the European Union is indeed incompatible with its membership in the Eurasian Economic Union.
"This has been repeatedly stated by the Russian side, with specific arguments. It is obvious that the indisputable and real benefits that Eurasian integration brings to Yerevan are incomparable to the empty promises of Brussels, which are not backed up by anything. This is a fact, because the benefits of Eurasian integration are concrete, as evidenced by figures and facts. And Brussels is well aware of who to deceive and how. Moreover, at this stage, there is no question of candidate status, and accession could take decades," Zakharova noted.
She also stated that the big question is whether Armenia is even wanted in the European Union, or whether it is being viewed there solely as a convenient geopolitical tool at this stage.
"After all, this is exactly how the European Union has ‘played’ with a number of other states. As soon as interest is lost, any even hypothetical responsibility for empty promises will also disappear if circumstances change. The exhausting long road of so-called ‘Europeanisation’, for example in Moldova and Ukraine, has not led to anything good," Zakharova said.
Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that Armenia understands that it cannot be a member of both the EEU and the EU at the same time, “and at some point in the future, we will have to make a choice.”
According to Armstat, in 2024, Armenia's trade with the EEU grew by 54%, exceeding $12.7 billion and accounting for more than 42.2% of the country's total foreign trade turnover. Armenia's largest partner in the EEU is Russia (trade turnover for January-December was $12.4 billion, an increase of 56.5% over the year).-0-
