Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that the biggest current challenge on Armenia’s path toward EU integration is the frozen political dialogue between the European Union and Georgia. He made the remarks during a speech at the European Parliament.
“Georgia is our gateway to the European Union. We adopted the law on launching the process of Armenia’s accession to the EU after Georgia received candidate status for EU membership. This made the prospect of Armenia joining the EU tangible, and our expectation and request is that the EU–Georgia constructive process continues. This is important for Armenia, just as it is for Georgia,” Pashinyan said.
The Prime Minister noted that since the adoption of the law on launching the process of Armenia’s accession to the EU, many in Armenia have asked when the country will become an EU member.
“Our answer is very clear: no country can join the EU without meeting the Union’s standards. Therefore, our task, with the support of our European partners, is to continue along the path of reforms and first objectively meet the criteria for EU accession.
“When this happens, there are two possibilities: either the EU will accept us, or it will not. I say this because I understand that EU enlargement and the admission of a new member is not a simple matter; it is also a political decision.
“Therefore, if the EU accepts Armenia as a full member, that will be excellent. If it does not, we will still benefit, because we will be a country that meets EU standards,” Pashinyan emphasized.
