The fourth session of the Armenia-EU Parliamentary Partnership Committee was held in the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia on February 25. At the beginning of the session, the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, Alen Simonyan, delivered a welcoming speech. The Speaker of the Parliament reaffirmed that Armenia has chosen the path of development along the path of democracy.
"Over the past years, the European Union Parliament has been the torchbearer of justice and freedom among European institutions," stated Arman Yeghoyan, Co-Chair of the Armenia-EU Parliamentary Partnership Committee, adding that Armenia is discussing a new partnership agenda with the European Union.
The Co-Chair recalled that two weeks ago, the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia approved the draft, in which our country began accessing the EU.
"This was the demand of a large number of our citizens, and the ruling majority in the parliament decided to meet this initiative and advance the process through harmonious work with the government," emphasized Arman Yeghoyan.
Referring to the achievements of previous years, the MP emphasized The launch of the Armenia-EU visa liberalization dialogue.
"This was a decision that we have been waiting for for a very long time and have worked on not only with the European Union institutions but also with the EU member states individually," said Arman Yeghoyan and thanked the 27 EU member states for making the dialogue possible. He hoped visa liberalization would become a reality within a few years.
Arman Yeghoyan highlighted the support provided to Armenia through the European Peace Facility and the deployment of the EU Civilian Monitoring Mission on the Armenian side of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.
According to Nils Ushakovs, Co-Chair of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee, the EU and Armenia have never had such close relations.
"Our relations are based on solid foundations and shared commitments: democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights. We believe in the right of people and states to choose their future. The European Parliament has already clearly expressed its support for developing and deepening relations. Still, everything also depends on Armenia and what kind of relations it seeks to have," Nils Ushakovs noted and stated that any application for EU membership will be submitted and considered according to the requirements, priorities, and criteria.
"It is important that we convey this message to the people of Armenia so that people understand what challenges to expect and do not have unrealistic expectations," the co-chair added.
He highlighted Armenia's ratification of the Rome Statute and membership in the International Criminal Court.
"In the face of such challenges, we must develop our security cooperation in the South Caucasus. The EU civilian mission has helped stabilize the situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border," said Nils Ushakovs, who spoke about Azerbaijan's rejection of this cooperation and the desire to terminate the EU mission in Armenia.
"Armenia has committed itself to a peace agenda, and we support it, and Azerbaijan's reaction to all this is very difficult to understand and interpret," the co-chair noted.
The European delegate also stated that the EU is interested in Armenia's "Crossroads of Peace" initiative, which is very important for opening ties and infrastructure in the region. In this context, he called on Ankara to separate the issue of normalizing relations with Armenia from the agenda of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.
After adopting the agenda and minutes of the 3rd meeting of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee, held in Brussels on March 9, 2023, the parliamentarians proceeded to discuss the agenda items.
The agendas of democratic reforms in Armenia, strengthening the rule of law and the protection of fundamental freedoms, closer relations between the European Union and Armenia, the future of EU-Armenia relations, and the implementation of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement were at the heart of the meeting.
Minister of Justice Srbuhi Galyan spoke about the steps taken in the context of reforms in the justice sector and strengthening democracy and the rule of law. Srbuhi Galyan emphasized that there is a lot to be done in the field and has undertaken the political commitment to solving one main problem so that justice serves the interests of justice.
The Minister also discussed the work to be done in the penitentiary and probation sectors. A new prison system, new quality penitentiary employees, and increased capabilities of the probation service are planned.
"The progress recorded in relations with the European Union in recent years shows Armenia's commitment to expanding the bilateral agenda and having cooperation at various levels," emphasized Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia Paruyr Hovhannisyan.
According to the Deputy Minister, Armenian citizens want to have stronger ties with the European family, as evidenced by the initiative submitted to the parliament for EU membership. Paruyr Hovhannisyan noted that the European Union continues to remain Armenia's most important partner, especially in the context of reforms in the areas of democracy, rule of law, public governance, and security.
"Armenia is grateful to the European Union for extending the mandate of the civilian observation mission," said the representative of the Foreign Ministry, adding that it contributes to maintaining stability in the border areas with Azerbaijan and reduces the likelihood of escalation.
Ambassador Vasilis Maragos, the Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, also highlighted the commitment to strengthening cooperation in several areas, speaking about specific programs and steps in this context. Vasilis Maragos touched upon the peculiarities of the visa liberalization process. Referring to the process of demarcation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Ambassador stated that we are trying to find mutually acceptable solutions.
The Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, Arpine Sargsyan, considered the sectoral cooperation with the EU effective. She referred to the activities carried out in the migration sector, noting that steps are being taken to develop a new strategy for managing the sector. The Minister also spoke about the reforms in the police sector and the positive results recorded after the launch of the patrol service. Reference was made to the development of a new crime prevention strategy.
In the question-and-answer format, the goals, roadmap, and deadlines for Armenia's membership in the EU were addressed. In this context, the Co-Chair of the Armenia-EU Parliamentary Partnership Committee, Arman Yeghoyan, expressed the opinion that we should try to avoid unrealistic expectations and tell the people what it means to become an EU member state, to choose this path and what we will change in our country and international relations.
"We have never given unrealistic expectations, especially regarding the timetable. I have repeatedly said this is a long-term process," he stated. He.
Vasilis Maragos assured us that we will meet regularly with the National Assembly to discuss the scope of cooperation and reforms.
The session participants touched upon the prospects for deepening Armenia-EU relations, the implementation of the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, and common goals and values in matters of democratic values, security, and human rights. They emphasized that Armenia-EU cooperation is a bilateral process.
Within the framework of "EU support for Armenia's resilience through economic, trade and energy cooperation and diversification," Deputy Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia Narek Hovakimyan and Vasilis Maragos discussed several projects implemented with EU support.
Paruyr Hovhannisyan presented the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan within the framework of EU-Armenia cooperation, which are being conducted in the context of regional and global security challenges and the process of normalizing relations between Armenia and its neighbors.
The session participants spoke about regional security issues and Armenia's European aspirations. They expressed the opinion that an institution of mediator and guarantor should be established in the process of negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Armenian delegates raised the issues of the forced displacement of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh and the return of our compatriots held in Baku. Regional stability was emphasized, and relations with neighboring states were touched upon.
A joint statement was adopted at the end of the session.
After the session, Co-Chairs Arman Yeghoyan and Nils Ushakovs held a press conference, during which the session's results were presented to the media. The Co-Chairs also answered journalists' questions.
