Johannes Luchner, the Deputy Director-General at the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs of the European Commission, handed over on November 5 the EU-Armenia Visa Liberalization Action Plan to Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan.
The document includes reforms to be implemented by Armenia in the areas of security, border management, human rights, and other sectors.
“We have just handed over the Visa Liberalization Action Plan to the Minister of Internal Affairs. The plan includes a range of objectives across various sectors, from security to human rights—goals that are to be achieved in the coming years. I congratulate the minister and the authorities on the rapid and substantial progress made in this process. We are ready to continue our cooperation to ensure that these objectives become a reality,” Johannes Luchner said.
Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan, in turn, stated that this is a “historic step” on the path toward implementing the visa liberalization dialogue with the EU.
“Indeed, we are witnessing a historic event today, because, ultimately, within the framework of the visa liberalization dialogue, we are taking the first tangible step, which is the result of joint efforts. Today, the Visa Liberalization Action Plan for the Republic of Armenia has been officially handed over to the Armenian side. In this context, I would like to emphasize with great responsibility that today the Republic of Armenia is the only country engaged in continuous dialogue with the EU on the topic of visa liberalization. I must stress that the Action Plan presented to the Armenian side is fully aligned with the reform policies pursued by the Republic of Armenia. It includes a series of measures that will have a significant impact on the lives of Armenian citizens and, particularly in the context of visa liberalization, will ensure the opportunity for dignified travel to various European Union countries,” Sargsyan, who is also the Senior Official for the Visa Liberalisation Dialogue on the Armenian side, said.
The reforms outlined in the Action Plan will cover migration management, asylum, border security, human rights, and public safety, forming a key part of Armenia’s European integration agenda.
“I want to emphasize the Republic of Armenia’s commitment to consistently implement all measures included in the Action Plan. I share the assessment that we have reached this important milestone in a very short period of time, which has drawn widespread public attention and created high expectations,” Sargsyan stressed.
