Pashinyan rejects referendum on choosing between EU and EAEU
Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan (Photo: Sputnik / Dmitry Astakhov / Pool via REUTERS)
Nikol Pashinyan said there is currently no basis for holding a referendum on whether Armenia should choose between membership in the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union, speaking during a livestream on Facebook on June 1.
The prime minister said Armenia’s European integration process has not yet reached a stage at which citizens can be asked to make a concrete choice between the two blocs.
According to Pashinyan, Armenia will continue participating in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) until the need to make a final choice between the organization and the European Union becomes unavoidable.
“As long as Armenia has not officially applied for EU membership or moved closer to obtaining candidate status, holding any referendum would be illogical,” the prime minister said, adding that such a choice remains “theoretical” at this stage.
Pashinyan’s remarks came in response to an appeal by the leaders of Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan, all members of the EAEU. In a joint statement, they called on Yerevan to hold a referendum in the near future on its foreign policy course and decide between the EAEU and the EU.
Relations between Moscow and Yerevan remain strained ahead of Armenia’s parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7. The Kremlin has repeatedly criticized Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for pursuing closer ties with the West. Following Yerevan’s intensified contacts with the EU, Russia also imposed a number of restrictions on imports of Armenian goods.
According to Reuters, Moscow could bring about 100,000 Armenians into the country to vote against Pashinyan.
At the same time, Vladimir Putin congratulated Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1, and the two leaders held a phone conversation.
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