Armenian government approves draft law to initiate EU accession process

"The draft law on the start of Armenia's EU membership process was submitted for discussion in the National Assembly as a civic initiative, and now the government must express its position," said Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan.

The Minister noted that he recommends positively responding to the draft law. He also mentioned that Armenia and the EU have had quite intensive and dynamic relations in recent years.

"They have been very rich and covered various sectors. The EU has repeatedly expressed its firm political support for democracy in Armenia. The EU, in fact, participates in ensuring the security environment around Armenia. I mean the deployment of the EU civilian monitoring mission," said Mirzoyan.

The Minister mentioned that the EU also expressed its readiness to support strengthening Armenia's economic resilience. In his opinion, the EU has very rich democratic traditions and strong democratic institutions. The European Union also has a free competitive environment with a modern economy.

"We have also seen signs that this is possible. I mean the beginning of the liberalization of the visa regime and a number of other tools that have been applied or are being discussed with the EU," said the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

According to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the decision regarding Armenia's accession to the EU must be approved by referendum. However, after the government approves the draft law, it must also go through a vote in parliament.

Armenia's EU Accession

Armenia is gradually deepening its cooperation with the European Union. The European Union supports Armenia's aspirations for democratization and development, mainly through financial assistance and reform programs. However, the key challenge for the country is the need to balance between its European path and Russia's influence.

Geopolitical tensions in the region, particularly the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, are also hindering integration processes. At the same time, strengthening cooperation with the EU could become an important step for Armenia in reinforcing its independence and development amid complex geopolitical circumstances.

In July 2024, the European Union ambassadors gave the "green light" to begin a dialogue on a visa-free regime with Armenia and agreed to provide military assistance from the European Peace Fund.