"It is time to focus on a positive agenda between the EU and Armenia": MEP
YEREVAN, February 25. /ARKA/. Relations between the EU and Armenia have never been as close as they are now, according to Nils Usakovs, Co-Chair of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee.
"The European Parliament has clearly stated that it promotes the development and deepening of relations with Armenia, but a lot also depends on Armenia, namely, what type of relations it seeks to have," Usakovs noted, speaking at the 4th meeting of the Armenia-EU Parliamentary Partnership Committee in Yerevan on Tuesday.
The MEP noted that it is time to focus even more on the positive bilateral agenda between the EU and Armenia.
"This is a very symbolic moment, relations between Europe and Armenia are developing very quickly in various areas. Your country's parliament has adopted a draft law that announces the start of Armenia's EU membership process, and this reflects the fact that the EU is attractive to society, and we welcome this," Ušakovs said.
According to him, any application for EU membership will be submitted and reviewed according to the requirements, priorities and criteria. "This message must be conveyed very clearly to the Armenian people so that they know what challenges to expect," Ušakovs emphasized.
On Armenia's EU accession process
On January 9, 2025, the Armenian government approved a draft law on starting Armenia's accession to the EU, proposed by the Platform of Democratic Forces, which includes 4 extra-parliamentary parties and several civil movements. In order for the initiative to be submitted to parliament for consideration, the platform activists collected more than 52 thousand signatures of Armenian citizens.
On February 12, it was approved by the National Assembly in the first reading. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Armenia can become a member of the EU only if the people approve this initiative in a referendum. He pointed out the need to discuss and develop a joint "road map" with the EU.
