Armenia Should Deepen Cooperation with the EU, Says Tigran Abrahamyan

The Secretary of the "Strong Armenia" faction, Tigran Abrahamyan, has stated that Armenia should develop and deepen its relations with the European Union while simultaneously maintaining a balanced political stance with other international partners.

Regarding the activities of the commission on European integration, Abrahamyan noted that, according to his information, the commission has held only a few meetings annually, and its activities have been in a state of passivity. He emphasized that Armenia faces several challenges in its relations with the EU.

"In particular, the trade between Armenia and EU member states is at a very low level and is declining. We have repeatedly cited the case of France as an example. Additionally, Armenian airlines have been unable to operate commercial flights to the EU for years. In other words, there are numerous issues, and we have significant work to do there," stated Abrahamyan.

He stressed that Armenia should pursue a balanced policy, developing relations both with the European Union and with the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union, China, the United States, Gulf countries, and other partners.

In response to a question about whether the political force plans to activate work toward European integration by taking over the leadership of the commission, Abrahamyan mentioned that the primary focus is Armenia's national interest.

"In all international relations, we are guided by the national interest of the Republic of Armenia. Regarding relations with the European Union, yes, Armenia must develop and deepen cooperation with the EU. There are sectors that have deteriorated since 2018, and we will be consistent in addressing these issues," he said.

According to Abrahamyan, if the permanent commission format contributes to the national interest of Armenia and deepens cooperation with other states and entities, its work should be activated.