Opposition MP describes Armenia’s move towards EU as ‘shameful bluff that threatens Armenia's foreign policy’

YEREVAN, February 12. /ARKA/. Armenian MP Artur Khachatryan from the opposition Hayastan (Armenia) alliance described the bill on the beginning of Armenia's accession process to the European Union as ‘a shameful bluff that threatens Armenia's foreign policy.’

Khachatryan claimed at a discussion of the draft law in the Armenian parliament on Wednesday that the Civil Contract party led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is jeopardizing Armenia's foreign policy by misleading both its partners and citizens.

“You thereby mislead both the West, the North and the South,” the opposition MP said, addressing the authorities.

On January 9, 2025 the Armenian government approved a civic initiative on Armenia's accession to the EU, proposed by the Platform of Democratic Forces.

On January 24, the Parliamentary Committee on European Integration gave a positive conclusion to the draft law.

PM Nikol Pashinyan stated that Armenia can become a member of the EU only if the people approve this initiative in a referendum. He pointed to the need to discuss and develop a joint roadmap with the EU.

Armenia's move toward the EU is strongly opposed by Russia. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova previously argued that the government in Yerevan risks plunging the country into mass poverty by planning to seek membership in the European Union.

Likewise, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk warned that a bid for EU membership would mark the beginning of iArmenia's withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), the Russian-led trade bloc. According to him Armenia would thus lose access to Russia's huge market, vital to its economy.-0-