Armenia’s parliament approved a bill on Wednesday to initiate the process of joining the European Union, passing the measure in a second and final reading with a vote of 64 to 7. The ruling Civil Contract party, led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, unanimously supported the bill.
However, opposition lawmakers were divided; members of the I Have Honor party, associated with former President Serzh Sargsyan, voted against the bill, while the Armenia Alliance, linked to former President Robert Kocharyan, chose to abstain, according to Russia’s Interfax news agency.
The government had initially approved the bill on January 9, but Pashinyan stressed that any final decision regarding EU accession should be determined by a nationwide referendum.
National Assembly President Alen Simonyan described the vote as an “historic step” and noted that the bill was introduced through a civil initiative, reflecting public interest in deepening ties with the EU.
The European Union has been keen to strengthen its relationship with Yerevan, with the European Parliament passing a resolution in March 2024 urging the EU’s executive bodies to enhance bilateral relations with Armenia. The resolution stated that the EU should “respond positively” to Armenia’s desire for closer ties and “take full advantage of this potential geopolitical shift.”
In the background, Russia has claimed that Armenia’s move towards EU accession discussions suggests a potential withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), of which Yerevan has been a member since 2015.
Source : DW
