Pashinyan: … This will be the beginning of the end of the EAEU
If no solution is found on the issue of Armenia, this will be the beginning of the end of the EAEU.
This was stated by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to journalists after a meeting of the "Civil Contract" party.
"Such a situation shows that the EAEU is paralyzed and does not work. If this issue is not resolved quickly, allow me to forecast that this will be the beginning of the end of the EAEU," he said, Sputnik Armenia reports.
Asked whether the authorities are considering withdrawal from the EAEU, he replied: "there is no such plan."
He reported that he had discussed this topic with Putin during a recent telephone conversation, and that they had reached a common understanding on at least several issues.
"The most important thing is that Armenia has the legitimate right to form alternatives for itself. I told the president of the Russian Federation that we have announced this path and we will follow it, especially now, when the people of Armenia have voted for it [he means cast their votes for the ruling "Civil Contract" party, whose agenda included plans for accession to the EU – ed.]. Always and in all matters we must have alternatives, and the era of the absence of alternatives is closed," Pashinyan said.
As for the problems with the export of Armenian products to Russia, Pashinyan stated that it arose because the republic adheres to a policy of alternatives, and the only question is when this alternative will be implemented. At the same time, he is convinced that partners in the Russian Federation accept the legitimacy of this policy.
"On May 29, the leaders of four countries adopted a statement in which they in fact defended the idea of holding a referendum on accession to the EU. And that is not bad. That is, they accepted the legitimacy of this agenda. I told the president of the Russian Federation that a referendum cannot be without a subject, that Armenia must at a minimum apply to the EU for accession in order to hold it," Pashinyan said.
On May 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at a press conference that Yerevan should decide as soon as possible on the issue of participation in the EU or the EAEU, allowing for the possibility of an "intelligent divorce." According to him, a referendum could be held on this issue.
In turn, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated to journalists on May 11 that Armenia remains a full member of the EAEU, and that holding a referendum is possible only if an "objective necessity" arises.
After that, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexei Overchuk stated that some work is being carried out in Armenia on the transition to EU standards, and that if the country begins to amend technical regulations, then "this will already create certain threats for the EAEU."
At the EAEU summit held in Astana on May 29, the leaders of the member states of this union issued a joint statement, which, in particular, spoke of the need to hold a referendum in Armenia as soon as possible on accession to the EU or remaining in the EAEU.
