Armenia can present an application for membership in the European Union, the spokesperson for EU’s foreign affairs office, Peter Stano told Izvestia.
“Countries have the right to strive for a better future for their people,” Stano said. “They are free to decide how to achieve such a future. As for EU membership, each European country — its people and government — must decide whether they want to apply for EU membership.”
“Armenia can apply for EU membership. Nevertheless, the further decision on the integration of this or that country depends on the unanimous approval of the European Union countries,” the EU official explained.
The statement comes two days after the European Parliament, with 405 votes, approved a resolution that called for support of Armenia’s candidacy to the EU.
“Should Armenia be interested in applying for candidate status and continuing on its path of sustained reforms consolidating its democracy, this could set the stage for a transformative phase in EU-Armenia relations,’’ the resolution approved on Wednesday by the members of the EU’s legislative body states.
Both Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan welcomed the European Parliament resolution. Azerbaijan, on the other hand, condemned the effort.
Mirzoyan on Friday told reporters that “when Armenia has an intention to apply for EU membership, you will be the first to know about it.”
Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Miniter Paruyr Hovhannisyan announced on Friday that Yerevan is developing a new cooperation document with the EU, saying that the new agreement will be signed by July.
“If the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between Armenia and the EU is fully implemented, we will indeed have the status of a candidate country for EU membership. In addition to this, new directions of cooperation and new programs are being developed, which emerged as a result of a fact-finding mission that took place in November of last year,” Hovhannisyan told a group of Armenian lawmakers.
“Now, alongside these two processes and the expression of our political rapprochement, a new document is being developed. Certain issues regarding it have been discussed at the Armenia-EU Partnership Council and at other working levels. We expect to receive a new draft in May, which should probably be adopted by July,” Hovhannisyan added.
