PM Pashinyan Calls on Citizens to Discuss EU Membership

YEREVAN — Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday called for broad public dialogue on the prospect of applying for EU membership, after it adobted a resolution to consider the possibility of granting Armenia the status of a candidate for membership.

The resolution passed on Wednesday reaffirms support for Armenia’s territorial integrity and democratic credentials, praises the Armenian government for seeking closer ties with the EU. It also says that Yerevan “could set the stage for a transformative phase in EU-Armenia relations” if it decides to try to eventually join the EU.

“Welcoming this resolution of the European Parliament, I believe that it should become a subject of public discussion in Armenia,” Pashinyan said. “This is another opportunity to discuss the vision for the future of Armenia.”

An EU membership bid would presumably require Armenia’s exit from not only the CSTO but also the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), a Russian-led trade bloc. Hakob Arshakyan, a deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament affiliated with Civil Contract, said on Thursday that Pashinian’s team has not discussed such a possibility yet.

“There is no question that [the European Parliament resolution] must undergo a broad public debate,” Arshakyan told reporters. “We will get to talk about our further steps later on.”