Five of six factions in parliament will vote for Armenia’s accession to Eurasian economic union

YEREVAN, December 4. / ARKA /. Five of the six factions in the Armenian parliament will vote for Armenia’s accession to the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). 

Speaking after the parliament had ended discussions on the membership treaty Heghine Bisharyan from the opposition Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) party emphasized the fact that the EEU consist of the countries which make the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), of which Armenia is a member, saying the membership in the EEU will further increase the level of Armenia’s security.

"It is no secret that the European Union can not give us what the EEU and CSTO can, however, joining the EEU does not mean a rupture of relations with the EU. A sound foreign policy will make our country a "window" between the EEU and Europe ," she said.

Armen Rustamyan, head of the opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s faction spoke about Armenia’s accession to the trade bloc in terms of national security.

The head of the faction of the opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) Levon Zurabyan described Armenia’s membership in the bloc as a strategic issue.

"It is clear that in the foreseeable future, Armenia will have no alternative to the system of security, which is now in effect. This system is closely connected with the Russian Federation ", he said, adding that the accession has also a number of positive and negative factors for the Armenian economy.

"The positive factors include low price of energy resources, steady money transfers from Armenian labor migrants in Russia and a huge market opening up for Armenian businesses. One of the negative factors is  the absence of common border with an EEU member country as a result of which Armenia and Georgia appear in different customs systems. However, if we see that membership in the EEU is not favorable for Armenia, we can get out of this bloc at any time. So all allegations that we are losing part of our sovereignty  are  emotional outbursts," he said.

Tigran Urikhanyan from the Prosperous Armenia party said the accession opens up new opportunities for Armenia to  significantly increase its exports.

Vahram Baghdasaryan of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia said the membership is first of all an economic decision, not a choice of civilization.

The Heritage party faction is the only one that will vote against the accession treaty. Its head Ruben Hakobyan argued that Armenia’s accession is a political rather than economic decision. According to him, the accession drives Armenia into a dead end, reinforcing its blockade.

The parliament will vote on the issue on Thursday at 17.00 local time.-0-