Pashinyan calls EU ‘main partner in implementing democratic reforms’

In another statement to reporters after casting his vote, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan emphasised that Armenia’s future would be ‘a strategy of strengthening independence, statehood, democracy, and the rule of law’.

He noted in particular that Armenia would continue with democratic reforms, ‘of course with the support of our European partners, because the European Union is our main partner in implementing democratic reforms’.

Pashinyan then spoke about how his government plans to bring Armenia into line with EU standards, stating that once full compliance is achieved, there would be two possible scenarios:

‘The first is that the European Union will accept Armenia as a full member. The second is that it will not accept it, because it depends on many political circumstances, for example, the European Union may decide not to expand at all’.

He emphasised that in either case, Armenia would benefit since it would be a state that meets EU standards.

Pashinyan concluded his statement by addressing the balancing of relations between the EU and Russia, claiming it was a ‘foreign policy issue’.

‘You know that we pursue a balanced foreign policy, and we will continue to adhere to that approach’.